Biomedical subjects

Nancy F Nishimura

Publications and source records attributed to Nancy F Nishimura.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Comparative analysis of two-dimensional electrophoresis maps (2-DE) of Helicobacter pylori from Brazilian patients with chronic gastritis and duodenal ulcer: a preliminary report.

Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium recognized as the major cause of peptic ulcer and chronic gastritis. Recently, a proteome-based approach was developed to investigate pathogenic factors related to H. pylori. In this preliminary study, H. pylori strains were isolated from gastric biopsies of patients with chronic gastritis and duodenal ulcers. A partial proteomic analysis of H. pylori strains was performed by bacterial lyses and proteins were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). A comparative analysis was performed to verify a differential protein expression between these two 2-DE maps. These data should be useful to clarify the role of different proteins related to bacterial pathogenesis. This study will be completed using a larger number of samples and protein identification of H. pylori by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed2006

Decrease of type IV collagen and TIMP-1 serum levels after splenectomy in patients with schistosomiasis mansoni.

The role of the spleen in the process of liver fibrosis in schistosomiasis still needs clarification. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of splenectomy on serum levels of two markers of fibrosis, type IV collagen and TIMP-1, in patients with schistosomiasis mansoni. Twenty-four patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis mansoni participated in the study. Type IV collagen and TIMP-1 serum levels were measured preoperatively, and after 2 (POD-1) and 60 days (POD-2) of spleen removal. Before splenectomy, both type IV collagen and TIMP-1 serum levels were elevated in the majority of patients. After splenectomy, the levels of type IV collagen showed a significant decrease in relation to the preoperative values both in POD-1 (median pre-splenectomy: 143.7 ng/ml versus 77.01 ng/ml; p=0.04) and POD-2 (103.3 ng/ml; p=0.015). Serum levels of TIMP-1 also showed a significant decrease in relation to the preoperative values both in POD-1 (pre-splenectomy: 585.9 ng/ml versus 196.4 ng/ml; p=0.008) and POD-2 (97.4 ng/ml; p<0.001). There was no difference between POD-1 and POD-2 values for each serum marker. In conclusion, splenectomy in schistosomotic patients was associated with a decrease in serum markers of fibrosis levels, which persisted for at least 60 days. These results suggest that the spleen may play a role in the extra cellular matrix production, and therefore may contribute to liver fibrosis in schistosomiasis mansoni.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Helicobacter pylori infection in children of low and high socioeconomic status in northeastern Brazil.

This survey was designed to evaluate the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in asymptomatic children from families of low and high socioeconomic status living in two neighboring communities in Teresina in northeastern Brazil. The study included 303 children, 163 (53.8%) males and 140 (46.2%) females, ranging in age from 6 months to 12 years. Helicobacter pylori status was determined by the H. pylori stool antigens test, in which sensitivity and specificity values for Brazilian children were 96.9% and 100%, respectively. The prevalence rates were 55.0% (93 of 169) and 16.4% (22 of 134) for children of low and high socioeconomic status, respectively (P < 0.001). Infection with H. pylori occurred early in life (before 2 years of age) in both groups (22.9% versus 14.3%; P = 0.061) and increased as the children became older. The rate of infection in children 11-12 years of age living in the poor area was as high as the levels found in Brazilian adults. An improved standard of living is followed by a sharp decrease in the prevalence rates in children, even in a developing country such as Brazil.

Brazil↗

PubMed2005

[Late follow-up of gastrectomized patients for peptic ulcer: clinical, endoscopic and histopathological aspects].

BACKGROUND: The gastrectomy is an uncommon procedure because the proton bomb inhibitors associated to the antibiotic outlines used to eradicate the Helicobacter pylori changed the focus of the peptic ulcer treatment. AIMS: Later evaluation on those patients who underwent partial gastrectomy as a treatment for peptic ulcer, at that time when any drug to eradicate the Helicobacter pylori was not used. The clinical evaluation included the late postoperative symptoms and postgastrectomy syndromes like dumping, diarrhea, alkaline gastritis and nutritional aspects. The upper digestive endoscopy analysed the surgery reconstruction and the gastric stump, the duodenum and the jejunum mucosa aspects. The histopathological evaluation included looking for Helicobacter pylori by using two different methods: histology and urease test. CASUISTIC AND METHODS: Fifty-nine patients, 44 (74.6%) male, median age 55.5 years old (range from 31 to 77 years old), who underwent a clinical interview and an upper digestive endoscopy. Paraffin blocks from the surgical specimen were reviewed in order to find out if the patients did have or did not have Helicobacter pylori before surgery. RESULTS: The final results show that most of the patients had very good and good clinical evolution (Visick I e II) in 96%. The most common symptoms on late postoperative are mild dyspepsia with or without Helicobacter pylori, and diarrhea, anemia and dumping occurred in, respectively, 11 (18.6%), 2 (3.4%) and 2 (3.4%) cases. The Billroth I reconstruction had the best clinical results on statistical rate. The endoscopic finding showed normal results in the most number of cases, and reflux alkaline gastritis or erosive gastritis in a few cases. Ulcer recurrences were diagnosed in two patients (3.4%), and both had positive Helicobacter pylori. Most of the patients had Helicobacter pylori (86%) before surgery and also in the postoperative time (89.9%). CONCLUSIONS: The patients had a very good clinical evolution after the gastrectomy. The Billroth I reconstruction had the best clinical results. The Helicobacter pylori is still present on gastric stump in late postoperative time, and we believe that it does not bring any negative influence to surgical results.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Grading and staging chronic hepatitis C and its relation to genotypes and epidemiological factors in Brazilian blood donors.

Progression of chronic hepatitis C is known to be associated with some factors, but influence of HCV genotypes is still controversial. Association between HCV genotypes and other risk factors was examined to determine which factors are associated with progression of infection. One hundred consecutive anti-HCV positive volunteer blood donors were evaluated for several risk factors, examined for HCV genotypes, and submitted to hepatic biopsy and biochemical exams.HCV genotyping were carried out in 89 patients and hepatic biopsy in 78. Transmission routes were found to be illicit intravenous drug use (26%), Gluconergan use in a non-safe manner (48%) and blood transfusion (15%). HCV genotype was 1 in 45%, 3 in 40%, and it was not associated with the stage of fibrosis or with inflammatory activity. There was no significant association of factors related to infection, chronic alcohol use, or duration of illness, with progression of the lesion. There was a significant association of aminotransferase levels and the fibrosis stage. Univariate analysis showed that the age at contamination, patient's age, GT-gamma, and aminotransferase levels over three times the upper normal limits, were associated with fibrosis stages 2 to 4. Multivariate analysis detected age (odds ratio=1.19), and GT-gamma (odds ratio=2.02) as independent factors.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Development of a BALB/c mouse model of Helicobacter pylori infection with fresh and frozen bacteria.

An experimental model for H. pylori infection was established by intragastrically challenging BALB/c mice with 1 ml (10(8) CFU/ml) of suspension for two consecutive days. Animals were divided into three groups. GA: mice inoculated with fresh bacteria; GB: mice inoculated with frozen bacteria, and GC: mice inoculated with brucella broth (control group). Animals were killed at 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 60 days pi and fragments of stomach and duodenum were collected, paraffin embedded and stained by hematoxylin-eosin and Giemsa. The results showed that challenged mice exhibited mild duodenitis and gastritis. In group GA, infiltration in the duodenum was lymphoplasmacytic until day 35; in group GB, it was lymphomonocytic for 60 days pi. In the stomach, H. pylori induced lymphomonocytic infiltration that was present from days 7 to 60 in group GA. In group GB, it was only present from days 14 to 35. In conclusion, our data suggested that freezing altered pathogenic properties of H. pylori and probably inhibited expression of bacterial antigens and consequently the establishment and maintenance of infection. Although the animals developed mild duodenitis and gastritis, the BALB/c mouse is not susceptible to developing peptic ulcers during H. pylori infection.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Progression of liver fibrosis in blood donors infected with hepatitis C virus.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Chronic hepatitis by HCV is progressive towards cirrhosis, with variable rate. We evaluated the rate of fibrosis progression (RFP), risk factors associated with advanced fibrosis (F3 and F4), and estimated the evolution time to cirrhosis. METHODS: We transversely selected 142 blood donors infected only with HCV, with a known route of infection, submitted to liver biopsy at admission. RFP= ratio between stage of fibrosis (METAVIR)/estimated duration of infection in years. Non-parametric tests and logistic regression analysis, with significance level of 5% were used. RESULTS: Median RFP was 0.086 U/year (0.05-0.142). Ten patients had F4 and 25 had F3. Median RFP values were significantly different (p=0.001) from one age group at contamination to the others and ALT and AST levels. There were no differences in the expected evolution to cirrhosis between intermediate fibrosers (F2) and the rapid fibrosers (F3 and F4). The independent variables associated with advanced fibrosis were ALT (OR 7.2) and GGT (OR 6.4) and age at inclusion (OR 1.12). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that RFP is extremely variable, it is exponential with age, and mainly influenced by host characteristics, especially age at contamination and possibly ethnical group. These asymptomatic patients had high percentage of fibrosis F2, F3 and F4.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Chronic liver disease in kidney recipients with hepatitis C virus infection.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) positive test is higher among patients in dialysis and in kidney recipients than in general population. Hepatitis C virus infection is the main cause of chronic liver disease in renal transplant patients. Liver biopsy and virological analysis were performed to clarify the grade of liver damage in kidney recipients. METHODS: Renal recipients patients with at least 5 yr under immunosuppression were submitted to clinical and laboratory analysis. Patients who tested anti-HCV positive were candidates to liver biopsy with no regard to transaminase levels. RESULTS: Forty-five patients tested anti-HCV positive and 42 anti-HCV negative. Twenty-six anti-HCV and RNA-HCV positive patients were submitted to liver biopsy. Seventy-three percentage of these patients presented chronic active hepatitis, from these only one patient presented cirrhosis. Only 29% of the anti-HCV positive group presented elevated alanine aminotransferase levels. Anti-HCV positive patients presented longer previous time on dialysis and less rejection episodes than the group anti-HCV negative (p < 0.05). All anti-HCV positive patients but one tested RNA-HCV positive by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). CONCLUSIONS: In this series the prevalence of anti-HCV positive is 51.7%. Most of the patients presented liver damage in histology caused by HCV. However, we found only mild or minimal fibrosis and inflammatory activity grade, despite 10 yr of HCV infection and 5 yr of immunosuppressive treatment. Only one patient presented cirrhosis (4%). Performing serial liver biopsies in a long-term follow-up is needed to clarify the impact of HCV infection in renal transplant patients.

Adult↗