Slow clinical improvement after treatment initiation in Leishmania/HIV coinfected patients / Melhora clínica após o início do tratamento em pacientes portadores de co-infecção Leishmania/HIV

INTRODUCTION: In Brazil there is a large area of overlap of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and HIV infection, which favored a increased incidence of coinfection Leishmania/HIV. METHODS: This study evaluated 65 consecutive patients with VL and their clinical response to treatment in two health care settings in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. RESULTS: At baseline, the clinical picture was similar between both groups, although diarrhea and peripheral lymphadenomegaly were more frequent in HIV-infected subjects. HIV-positive patients had lower median blood lymphocyte counts (686/mm³ versus 948/mm³p = 0.004) and lower values of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (48IU/L versus 75.6IU/L p = 0.016) than HIV-negative patients. HIV-positive status (hazard ratio = 0.423, p = 0.023) and anemia (HR = 0.205, p = 0.002) were independent negative predictors of complete clinical response following antileishmanial treatment initiation. CONCLUSIONS: This study reinforces that all patients with VL should be tested for HIV infection, regardless of their clinical picture. This practice would allow early recognition of coinfection with initiation of antiretroviral therapy and, possibly, reduction in treatment failure.

INTRODUÇÃO: No Brasil, há uma grande área de sobreposição de leishmaniose visceral (LV) e infecção pelo HIV, o que favoreceu o aumento da incidência de co-infecção Leishmania/HIV. MÉTODOS: Este estudo avaliou a resposta clínica ao tratamento de 65 pacientes em dois centros de referência de saúde em Belo Horizonte, Brasil. RESULTADOS: O quadro clínico inicial foi semelhante entre os dois grupos, exceto pela maior frequência de diarréia e linfadenomegalia periférica em indivíduos infectados pelo HIV. Pacientes HIV-positivos apresentaram menor contagem de linfócitos no sangue (686/mm³versus 948/mm³p = 0,004) e menores valores de alanina aminotransferase (ALT) (48UI/L versus75,6UI/Lp = 0,016) do que pacientes HIV-negativos. Infecção pelo HIV-1 (hazard ratio-HR= 0,423, p = 0,023) e anemia (HR = 0,205, p = 0,002) foram preditores independentes de resposta clínica incompleta após o início do tratamento leishmanicida. CONCLUSÕES: Este estudo reforça a indicação de testagem para HIV em todos os pacientes diagnosticados com LV. O procedimento permitiria o reconhecimento precoce da co-infecção, levando à adequação do manejo clínico e o início da terapia antirretroviral, aumentando as chances de sucesso terapêutico.

Doença da arranhadura do gato: relato de caso / Cat scratch disease: case report

O diagnóstico diferencial das linfadenomegalias supuradas deve se basear na historia clínica e em exames complementares, principalmente na análise histopatólogica. A Bartonella henselae, bastonete gram-negativo fastidioso que frequentemente causa bacteriemia em gatos, constitui agente que sempre deve ser associado a linfadenomegalia. Os gatos são reservatórios importantes desse microrganismo. A doença da arranhadura do gato normalmente cursa com poliadenopatias relacionadas ao local de inoculação (por arranhadura ou lambedura) e sintomatologia geral leve, sendo normalmente autolimitada. Raramente a doença complica com acometimento visceral, ocular e neurológico. Em alguns casos, há poliadenopatia persistente e supurada. Este relato apresenta as alterações descritas por mulher de 79 anos, com poliadenopatia cervical ulcerada, surgida após contato próximo com felino. As alterações clínicas e histopatológicas foram sugestivas de doença da arranhadura do gato, de evolução prolongada. Houve boa resposta a antimicrobianos. Este trabalho ilustra o amplo diagnóstico diferencial de linfadenomegalias persistentes, que deve incluir sempre a infecção pela Bartonella henselae entre as prováveis etiologias.

Differential diagnosis of suppurative lymphadenomegalies must be based on clinical history and laboratory tests, particularly in histhopatological analysis. The Bartonella henselae is a fastidious gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium that commonly causes bacteremia in cats, frequently associated with lymphadenopathy. Cats are important reservoirs of this organism. Cat scratch disease usually happens with polyadenopathies related to the inoculation local (by scratching or licking) and general light symptoms, besides being selflimiting. This disease is rarely complicated with visceral, ocular and neurological injuries. Some cases show persistent and festering polyadenopathy. This report shows changes described by a 79 old-year-woman, who presents ulcerated cervical polyadenopathy, acquired after close contact with cats. Clinical and histopathological changes were suggestive of cat scratch disease, of long time evolution. There was good response to antibiotics. This paper illustrates the wide differential diagnosis of persistent lymphadenomegalies, which should always include infection with Bartonella henselae among several etiologies.

Prevalência da hipertensäo arterial sistêmica em escolares de 7 a 14 anos do município de Barbacena, Minas Gerais, em 1999 / Prevalence of systemic hypertension in students aged 7 to 14 years in the municipality of Barbacena, in the State of Minas Gerais, in 1999

OBJECTIVE: To detect the prevalence of systemic hypertension in children and to establish the relation between blood pressure levels and sex, age, ethnicity, weight, and height. METHODS: The prevalence of systemic hypertension and its relation to sex, age, ethnicity, weight, and height were studied in 611 students aged 7 to 14 years out of 19.928 students classified according to age, ethnicity, and sex, who underwent anthropometric evaluation and blood pressure measurement. Hypertensive individuals were considered those whose blood pressure level was > the 95th percentile for age and sex, confirmed on 3 examinations. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypertension was 16.6 percent in the first evaluation, and 4.6 percent and 2.5 percent in the subsequent evaluations. The mean blood pressure levels increased with age. Weight was important, not only to determine blood pressure in healthy children, but also to determine systemic hypertension in children, which was not observed with height despite the different studies. The prevalence of systemic hypertension in the different ethnic groups and the mean blood pressure levels according to sex were similar. CONCLUSION: In addition to routine physical examinations, age, weight, and appropriate cuff size should be considered when assessing blood pressure in children to prevent hypertension, morbidity and mortality, and to avoid placing a financial burden on health care providers

Fígado: provas bioquímicas / Liver: biochemical tests

Os autores analisam a avaliação laboratorial de rotina para averiguação da integridade hepática, enfatizando aspectos atuais da propedêutica e seus significados, sob o ponto de vista da medicina interna.

The authors make a analysis about laboratory markers to investigate the liver integrity. In the internal medicine feature, actual aspects of propeudeutic and its signs are approached.