Correlação clínica e ultra-sonográfica na esclerodermia localizada cutânea / Clinical and ultrasonographic correlation in localized cutaneous scleroderma", "_i": "en

OBJETIVO: Apresentar os aspectos ultra-sonográficos da esclerodermia localizada e relacioná-los com os aspectos clínicos. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foram analisadas 23 lesões de esclerodermia localizada em 21 pacientes. Foi utilizado equipamento Logiq 700 com transdutor linear de 6-14 MHz. Foram avaliados, pelo dermatologista, o estágio da doença (inflamatório ou atrófico), e pelo radiologista, a espessura e a ecogenicidade da derme nas regiões afetadas e sãs adjacentes. Foi feito acompanhamento de sete casos após tratamento. RESULTADOS: Todas as lesões apresentaram perda do padrão ultra-sonográfico normal da derme. Os casos de lesão clinicamente atrófica (52,2 por cento; 12/23) corresponderam a redução da espessura e aumento da ecogenicidade da derme e os casos de lesão clinicamente inflamatória (47,8 por cento; 11/23) corresponderam a aumento da espessura e redução da ecogenicidade da derme. Controles pós-tratamento mostraram alterações na espessura da derme. CONCLUSÃO: Os achados ultra-sonográficos nos permitem associar o aumento da espessura e a redução da ecogenicidade da derme com a fase inflamatória da doença, e a redução da espessura e o aumento da ecogenicidade da derme com a fase atrófica da doença. Notamos também que é possível quantificar a espessura da derme e usar essa informação no controle pós-tratamento associada à avaliação clínica.

OBJECTIVE: To describe ultrasonographic findings of localized cutaneous scleroderma and correlating them with clinical findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three lesions of localized cutaneous scleroderma in 21 patients were evaluated with a Logiq 700 equipment coupled with a 6-14 MHz linear transducer. The disease stage (athrophic or inflammatory) was evaluated by a dermatologist, and the ultrasonographic findings (skin thickness and echogenicity) for both the affected and adjacent healthy regions were evaluated by a radiologist. Seven of the cases underwent post-treatment follow-up. RESULTS: All the affected regions presented loss of the normal ultrasonographic pattern of the dermis. Cases with clinically atrophic lesions (52.2 percent; 12/23) corresponded to reduction in the thickness and increase in the echogenicity of the dermis, and clinically inflammatory lesions (47.8 percent; 11/23) corresponded to decrease in echogenicity and increase in the thickness of the dermis. Post-treatment follow-up demonstrated alterations in the dermis thickness. CONCLUSION: The ultrasonographic findings allow the correlation between increase in the thickness/decrease in echogenicity of the dermis with the inflammatory phase of the disease, and decrease of the thickness/increase in echogenicity of the dermis with the atrophic phase. Also, it could be observed that it is possible to quantify the thickness of the dermis, utilizing this information associated with the clinical evaluation in the post-treatment follow-up.

Alteraciones cardíacas inducidas por el frío en la esclerosis sistémica / Cold-induced cardiac abnormalities in systemic sclerosis

Cardiac abnormalities are frequent in patients with systemic sclerosis (SS). These abnormalities have been demonstrated in over 80 percent of patients with SS and there are some clues that suggest that an intermittent vascular spasm (i.e. coronary Raynaud's phenomenon) is one of the causes of myocardial dysfunction in this group of patients. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the ventricular performance and regional wall motion during exposure to cold in patients with SS and Raynaud's phenomenon without overt cardiac disease. Twenty-four patients and 10 normal volunteers underwent radionuclide ventriculograms (RV). In each subject the RV was done thrice: basal, 20 minutes after chilling with thermic blanket and post reheating. The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decreased during the cold test (p = 0.03) with reversible abnormalities in wall motion. Basal Right Ventricular Ejection Fraction (RVEF) was lower than that of normal subjects (p = 0.02) and decreased during the cold test (p = 0.04). Therefore, we were able to demonstrate an early cardiac dysfunction associated with impaired wall motion after corporal chilling. These findings suggest that coronary spasm in SS would be an early and frequent phenomenon that would precede the development of symptomatic cardiac disease in some patients with this illness.

Síndrome de Parry Romberg con y sin esclerodermia: coincidencia o vinculación patogénica? / Parry-Romberg's syndrome with and without sclerodermya: coincidence pathogenic vinculation

Se estudian dos casos de hemiatrofia facial progresiva (H.F.P.) que ilustran las dos posibilidades de esta afección: con o sin esclerosis. Ambos comienzan en la adolescencia. el caso 1 presenta discromía que excede la zona afectada y precede al cuadro en su instalación con esclerosis más evidente en sectores e hialinosis (microscopía óptica), atrofia ósea y muscular. Consulta por fractura de maxilar inferior consecutiva a contracturas tónico-clónicas. El caso 2 se asocia a malformación de Arnold-Chiari, tiene atrofia cutánea y muscular, sin esclerosis ni hialinosis. No hay discromía. El examen neurológico evidencia actividad denervatoria a distancia en el caso 1

Empedrado digital: marcador temprano de engrosamiento cutáneo en pacientes diabéticos / Cobblestone digital markings: early marker for cutaneous thickening in diabetic patients

La diabetes figura entre las causas posibles de cambios esclerodermiformes en las manos. Se caracteriza por presentar piel cerea, con disminución de la movilidad articular, y el Empedrado Digital que constituye un síntoma precoz. La frecuencia de presentación fue del 72.27% para los diabéticos y del 12% para los no diabéticos. Afecta a ambos tipos de diabetes y es semejante su incidencia según el sexo y la edad