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Biomedical subjects

S G Ramos

Publications and source records attributed to S G Ramos.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

[Myocardial morphometric study in protein-energy malnourished adults].

PURPOSE: To compare cardiac muscle cells width and cardiomyocyte lipofuscin pigment presence between malnourished and non-malnourished necropsied adults. METHODS: Out of 315 necropsy protocols of adults randomly chosen, those with edema, ascitis, systemic arterial hypertension, chronic liver disease, and heart disease were excluded. Malnutrition was defined by body mass index (BMI) < 17 kg/m2. Cardiomyocytes morphometry study and lipofuscin pigment counts were performed. RESULTS: Malnourished (n = 8) and controls (n = 4), respectively, showed statistical differences in relation to BMI (14.86 +/- 1.13 vs 22.02 +/- 0.9 kg/m2), heart weight/body weight ratio (0.68 +/- 0.09 vs 0.54 +/- 0.07%), cardiomyocytes width (10.91 +/- 0.77 vs 12.90 +/- 1.82 microns) and lipofuscin pigment presence (39.1 vs 54.4%). CONCLUSION: When compared with controls, necropsied malnourished adults showed decreased myocardial fibers diameters and lower lipofuscin pigment presence. These findings might reflect altered metabolism, and would be associated with harmful clinical effects in terminally ill patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Dispersion of junctional tissue and its consequences in a case of sudden infant death].

This article reports a case of sudden infant death syndrome in a 1-month-old male. Some important abnormalities of the cardiac conduction system were found, consisting of persistent fetal dispersion of the atrioventricular node and His bundle, accessory atrioventricular pathways of Mahaim type and resorptive degeneration. These changes could be considered as a morphological substrate for cardiac arrhythmias.

Atrioventricular Node↗
PubMed1998

Hyperplasia of the aorticopulmonary paraganglia: a new insight into the pathogenesis of sudden infant death syndrome?

In this study, the Authors search for morphologic alterations in the aorticopulmonary paraganglia (APP) of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) victims when compared with age-matched controls. Morphometric studies on serial sections of the APP were performed with an image analyzer in combination with a standard microscope attached to a video camera. APP hyperplasia, characterized by an increase in some parameters such as number, mean lobule diameter and total glomic tissue volume when compared with age-matched controls, was observed in 23.8% of SIDS victims. Similar alterations have been reported in peripheral chemoreceptors of animals and human beings who are chronically hypoxemic. In SIDS, it could reflect an abnormal chemoreceptor function, contributing to an altered respiration control.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1995

Sudden cardiac death in the indeterminate phase of Chagas' disease associated with acute infarction of the right carotid body.

We recently came across a case of a patient in the indeterminate phase of Chagas' disease who died suddenly with cardiac arrhythmia associated with acute infarction of the right carotid body due to occlusive thrombosis in the glomic artery. Although the available data in this case do not offer definite evidence to support a cause-and-effect relationship between carotid body infarction and patient's sudden cardiac arrest, it is very likely that the acute infarction of the carotid body could be the distinct morphological counterpart of the functional disturbance. The infarction would affect the vagal-sympathetic interactions augmenting sympathetic action.

Carotid Body↗
PubMed1994

Captopril reduces collagen and mast cell and eosinophil accumulation in pig serum-induced rat liver fibrosis.

The effect of captopril on the development of hepatic septal fibrosis in a specific experimental model produced by repeated injections of whole pig serum into the peritoneal cavity of rats was studied. The results afforded four basic conclusions. First, the experimental model used seems to be a pure form of septal fibrosis, which depends on active tissue fibroplasia, without hepatocyte necrosis. The fibrotic septa, located between limiting plates of adjacent classic hepatic lobules, and delimiting the classic liver lobule, consisted of collagen fibers infiltrated by eosinophils, mast cells, fat-storing cells (Ito cells), transitional cells and interstitial fibroblasts. Second, the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril attenuated the hepatic fibrosis induced by pig serum administration, as proven by a decrease in hepatic hydroxyproline concentration and histological examination of the liver. Third, this attenuation of hepatic fibrosis might be related, at least in part, to diminished mast cell and eosinophil accumulation in the hepatic tissue. Finally, these data may indicate a novel action of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor in general, and for captopril in particular, as drugs potentially capable of reducing eosinophils in fibrotic processes.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Portopulmonary hypertension syndrome in schistosomiasis mansoni.

Portopulmonary hypertension syndrome (PPHS) is a complication of portal hypertension where the substrate is micro-vessel lesions which are indicative of plexogenic arteriopathy. PPHS has not been linked to pulmonary schistosomiasis. We report, to the best of our knowledge for the first time, a case of PPHS associated with schistosomiasis mansoni.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): a study of cardiac conduction system.

The theory that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) may be related to lethal cardiac arrhythmias or heart block due to structural abnormalities of the conduction system is attractive and still of particular interest. We analyze 69 autopsied cases of SIDS (46 males and 23 females, infants ranging in age from 3 to 365 days) and 24 age-matched cases of explained death (ED) as controls (16 males and 8 females), infants who died from extracardiac cause (cerebral and respiratory). SIDS and ED groups were divided into three subgroups according to the age: (A) from 3 to 60 days; (B) from 61 to 120 days; (C) from 121 to 365 days. Histological observations were focused on the cardiac conduction system (CCS) which was examined on serial sections with the technique devised by one of the present authors (L. Rossi). The following findings were observed: resorptive degeneration (97.10% of SIDS, 75% of ED), His bundle dispersion (33. 33% of SIDS, 16.66% of ED), Mahaim fibers (21.73% of SIDS, 8.3% of ED), cartilaginous meta-hyperplasia (5.79% of SIDS, 4.16% of ED), persistent fetal dispersion (24.63% of SIDS, 16.66% of ED), intramural right bundle (20.29% of SIDS, 25% of ED), left sided His bundle (20.29% of SIDS and 8.3% of ED), hemorrhage of the atrio-ventricular junction (15.94% of SIDS), septation of the bifurcation (13.04% of SIDS), atrio-ventricular node (AVN) dispersion (7.24% of SIDS), sino-atrial node hypoplasia (5.79% of SIDS), Zahn node (1.45% of SIDS), His bundle hypoplasia (1.45% of SIDS), intramural left bundle (1.45% of SIDS), AVN dualism (2.89% of SIDS), and His bundle dualism (2.89% of SIDS, 4.16% of ED). Only the presence of resorptive degeneration was significantly higher in SIDS than in ED cases (p = 0.004). Regarding the subgroups, the only significant difference was the higher presence of intramural right bundle in SIDS-A than in SIDS-B (p = 0.01). Despite the non-specificity of most of these findings, we believe that these changes, associated with particular conditions and/or neurovegetative stimuli, could cause potentially malignant arrhythmias. These data suggest the need for an accurate approach and examination of the cardiac conduction system in all cases of sudden death in infancy

Arrhythmias, Cardiac↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pathology of the heart and conduction system in a case of sudden death due to a cardiac fibroma in a 6-month-old child.

A 6-month-old female infant considered to be in good health died suddenly and unexpectedly. Post-mortem examination was requested, with clinical diagnosis of sudden infant death syndrome. Gross examination revealed, however, the presence of a cardiac mass 4.5 X 4 x 3.5 cm in diameter. Histological examination of the heart confirmed the presence of a cardiac fibroma. In the present case, the sudden death could have been due to the left ventricular outflow obstruction, as much as to conductive disturbances caused by overstretching and compression of the atrioventricular node and of the bundle branches. Hemodynamic and conductive abnormalities are presumed to have provoked bradycardia degenerating into ventricular fibrillation and sudden death. Necroscopy studies of sudden death should always include histological examination of the cardiac conduction system but seldom do.

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Microcirculation and Chagas' disease: hypothesis and recent results.

This review focuses on studies that support the microvascular hypothesis, as well as on immunological and neurogenic mechanisms, and the role of the parasite itself, to explain further the pathology and clinical course of myocardial involvement in chagasic cardiomyopathy. The salient features of coronary microcirculation and Chagas' disease are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Prevalence of renal infarcts in autopsies of chronic Chagas disease patients].

Renal infarction (RI) is usually secondary to arterial obstruction due to emboli originating from the heart. Chronic chagasic patients may present cardiac alterations originating from intracavitary thrombi, even without congestive heart failure (CHF). In this study RI incidence was comparatively evaluated in chronic chagasic individuals, in different anatomoclinic forms and in non chagasic individuals. There has been a review on necropsy reports of individuals aged 20 or over. In 259 necropsies, 78 (30.1%) were chagasics, and 19 of them (24.4%) developed RI, while 27 (15.0%) of the non chagasic individuals presented RI. The ages of chagasics with RI were similar to those of non chagasic individuals. A significant prevalence of RI and thrombosis among chronic chagasic individuals has been found. A significantly higher prevalence of RI among chronic chagasics having CHF (52.6%) was observed when they were compared to other forms of chronic Chagas disease and when compared to non chagasic individuals. It was concluded that RI was more frequent in chronic chagasic individuals, specially those who developed CHF, which probably played a role in the renal manifestations and systemic hemodynamic changes in those patients.

Adult↗