ABSTRACT
This study defined the normal variation range for different subsets of T-lymphocyte cells count in two different Brazilian regions. We analysed the T-lymphocytes subpopulations (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+) in blood donors of two Brazilian cities, located in North (Belem, capital state of Para, indian background) and Northeast (Salvador, capital state od Bahia, African background) regions of Brazil. Results were compared according to gender, stress level (sleep time lower than 8 hours/day), smoking, and alcohol intake. Lymphocytes subpopulations were measured by flow cytometry. Five hundred twenty-six blood donors from two Brazilians cities participated in the study: 450 samples from Bahia and 76 samples from Pará. Most (60 percent) were men, 59 percent reported alcohol intake, 12 percent were smokers, and 80 percent slept at least 8 h/day. Donors from Bahia presented with significantly higher counts for all parameters, compared with Para. Women had higher lymphocytes levels, in both states, but only CD4+ cells count was significantly higher than men's values. Smokers had higher CD4+ counts, but sleep time had effect on lymphocytes levels only for Para's donors (higher CD3+ and CD4+ counts). That state had also, a higher proportion of donors reporting sleep time <8 h/day. The values for CD3, CD4 and CD8+ cells count were significantly higher in blood donors from Bahia than among those from Pará. Female gender, alcohol intake, stress level, and smoking were associated with higher lymphocyte counts. The use of a single reference range for normal lymphocytes count is not appropriate for a country with such diversity, like Brazil is.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Male , Alcohol Drinking/immunology , Blood Donors , Smoking/immunology , Stress, Psychological/immunology , T-Lymphocyte Subsets/cytology , Brazil , Flow Cytometry , Lymphocyte Count , Reference ValuesABSTRACT
Acanthosis nigricans (AN) has been recognized as a marker of insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus. We have compared frequency of race and metabolic disturbances in obese women with several degrees of AN (AN group, N = 190) to a group without AN (non-AN group, N = 61) from a mixed racial population. The groups were similar regarding age and body mass index. All patients (except the diabetic patients) underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (75 g). The racial distribution of this population was 35.1 percent white, 37.8 percent mulatto and 27.1 percent black and the frequency of AN was 62.5, 82.1 and 83.8 percent, respectively, higher in black versus white (P = 0.003) and mulatto versus white (P = 0.002) women. The frequencies of diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance were 5.8 and 12.6 percent in the AN group and 1.6 and 8.2 percent in the non-AN group, respectively (P>0.05). Fasting glucose, ß cell function determined by the homeostasis model of assessment (HOMA), fasting insulin and insulin area under the curve were similar for the AN and non-AN groups. A higher HOMA insulin resistance was observed in the AN group compared to the non-AN group (P = 0.02) and in the subgroup of highest degree of AN compared to those with other degrees. The mean lipid levels and the frequency of dyslipidemia were similar for the two groups. AN was strongly associated with the black or mulatto rather than the white race, even after taking into account the effect of age, body mass index and HOMA insulin resistance
Subject(s)
Humans , Middle Aged , Adult , Female , Acanthosis Nigricans , Obesity , Acanthosis Nigricans , Analysis of Variance , Body Mass Index , Racial Groups , Glucose Tolerance Test , Homeostasis , Insulin , Insulin Resistance , Obesity , Severity of Illness IndexABSTRACT
The occurence of acute cutaneous leishmaniasis among inhabitants of 10 farms within 10 Km of the hamlet of Corte de Pedra, Bahia, Brazil was studied prospectively from 1984-l989. A mean population of 1,056 inhabitants living in 146 hourses were visited every 6 months and the numberof sKin ulcers recorded. A leishmanin skin test survey was done people with suggestive skin scars or active disease in l984. The incidence of skin ulcers due to Leishmania (Viannia) brasiliensis (Vlb) reached 83/1,000 inhabitants but declined sharply in the subsequent 2 years. Retrospective data shows that leishamiasis is a sporadic endemic disease. Although the reasons for this epidemic are unclear some possible aetiological factors are discussed
Subject(s)
Humans , Animals , Infant , Child, Preschool , Child , Adolescent , Adult , Middle Aged , Disease Outbreaks , Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous/epidemiology , Antigens, Protozoan/administration & dosage , Brazil/epidemiology , Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous/diagnosis , Prospective StudiesSubject(s)
Humans , Male , Child , Leishmaniasis/immunology , Leg Ulcer/immunology , Leishmaniasis/drug therapy , Recurrence , Leg Ulcer/drug therapyABSTRACT
Os autores apresentam o estudo de uma pomada, a base de colagenase, no tratamento de feridas de diversas etiologias. Foram estudados 50 pacientes agrupados em ulceras pos-flebiticas, varicosas arterioescleroticas, de decubito e queimaduras. A evolucao mostrou excelente melhoria do tecido granular pela limpeza rapida dos restos necroticos, afastando os substratos que mantem a infeccao local. Tal terapeutica vem enriquecer em muito as medidas terapeuticas locais no tratamento das feridas cutaneas possibilitando em muito a solucao cirurgica precoce por enxertos ou retalhos cutaneos como solucao definitiva