Intrathyroid injection of dexamethasone inhibits Th2 cells in Graves disease

ABSTRACT Objective Intrathyroid injection of dexamethasone (IID) was used for decrease the relapse rate of hyperthyroidism in the treatment of Graves' disease (GD), but the mechanism is still unclear. We aimed to explore the effect of IID on T help (Th)1/Th2 cells and their chemokine in patients with GD. Subjects and methods A total of 42 patients with GD who were euthyroidism by methimazole were randomly divided into IID group (n = 20) and control group (n = 22). Thyroid function and associated antibody, Th1/Th2 cells proportion, serum CXCL10 and CCL2 levels, and CXCR3/CCR2 mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells before and after 3-month IID treatment were tested by chemiluminescence assay, Flow cytometry, ELISA, and real-time PCR, respectively. Thyroid follicular cells were stimulated by IFN-γ and TNF-α and treated with dexamethasone in vitro. CXCL10 and CCL2 levels in supernatant were determined. Results After 3-month therapy, the proportion of Th2 cells and serum CCL2 levels, as well as TPOAb, TRAb levels and thyroid volume decreased in IID group (p < 0.05). However, the proportion of Th1 and CXCL10 levels had no change in IID group and control (p > 0.05). The CXCR3/CCR2 ratio had no change in both groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion IID therapy could inhibit peripheral Th2 cells via decreasing CCL2 level in peripheral blood, and this result partly explain the effects of IID therapy on prevention of relapse of GD. Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2020;64(3):243-50

The Idealized Brazilian Health System versus the real one: contributions from the nursing field / O Sistema Único de Saúde idealizado versus o realizado: contribuições da Enfermagem / El Sistema Único de Salud idealizado versus el realizado: contribuciones de la Enfermería

OBJECTIVE: to identify the perceptions of professionals working in a facility connected with the Brazilian Unified Health System - SUS in regard to what they know, think and talk about public health policy. METHOD: this exploratory-descriptive study with a qualitative nature was conducted with 28 professionals working in a facility connected with the SUS. Data were collected through interviews with guiding questions and analyzed through the thematic content analysis technique. RESULTS: coded and interpreted data resulted in three thematic axes: The SUS - perfect web that does not work in practice; The recurrent habit of complaining about the SUS; The need to rethink the way of thinking about, acting in and managing the SUS. CONCLUSION: the professionals working for the SUS are aware of the principles and guidelines that govern the Brazilian health system, however, they reproduce a dichotomous and linear model of conception and practice strongly linked to the thinking of society in general. .

OBJETIVO: conhecer a percepção de profissionais que atuam em uma instituição conveniada com o Sistema Único de Saúde sobre o que sabem, pensam e falam dessa política pública de saúde. MÉTODO: trata-se de estudo exploratório-descritivo, de caráter qualitativo, realizado com 28 profissionais que atuam em uma instituição conveniada com o Sistema Único de Saúde. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas com questões norteadoras e analisados pela técnica de análise de conteúdo temática. RESULTADOS: os dados codificados e interpretados resultaram em três eixos temáticos: Sistema Único de Saúde - teia perfeita que não funciona na prática; o recorrente hábito de reclamar do Sistema Único de Saúde; a necessidade de repensar o modo de pensar, atuar e gerir o Sistema Único de Saúde. CONCLUSÃO: os profissionais que atuam no Sistema Único de Saúde têm conhecimento dos princípios e diretrizes que regem o sistema de saúde nacional, no entanto, reproduzem um modelo de concepção e atuação dicotômico, pontual e linear ainda fortemente vigente no pensar da sociedade em geral. .

OBJETIVO: conocer la percepción de profesionales que actúan en una institución que tiene convenio con el Sistema Único de Salud - SUS sobre lo que saben, piensan y hablan de esta política pública de salud. MÉTODO: se trata de un estudio exploratorio descriptivo, de carácter cualitativo, realizado con 28 profesionales que actúan en una institución que tiene convenio con el SUS. Los datos fueron recolectados por medio de entrevistas con preguntas orientadoras y analizados con la técnica de análisis de contenido temático. RESULTADOS: los datos codificados y interpretados resultaron en tres ejes temáticos: SUS - red perfecta que no funciona en la práctica; el recurrente hábito de reclamar del SUS; y la necesidad de repensar el modo de pensar, actuar y administrar el SUS. CONCLUSIÓN: los profesionales que actúan en el SUS tienen conocimiento de los principios y directrices que gobiernan el sistema de salud nacional, sin embargo, reproducen un modelo de concepción y actuación dicotómico, puntual, linear y además fuertemente vigente en el pensar de la sociedad en general. .

Evaluation of oral submucous fibrosis using ultrasonographic technique: A new diagnostic tool.

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) by clinical and histopathological examination, and compare the results with those from ultrasonographic technique. Materials and Methods: 30 clinically diagnosed OSMF patients were subjected to both ultrasonographic and histopathological evaluation before treatment. Later, only ultrasonographical examination was done during 4 th and 8 th week of treatment. Prognosis of the lesion for the treatment was evaluated. Peak systolic velocity (PSV) of blood in the lesional area was statistically analyzed. 10 normal individuals without any mucosal lesions were considered as the control group. Results: In normal individuals, ultrasonography delineates normal mucosa with uniform fine mottled appearance with interspersed hypoechoic areas. Color Doppler and spectral Doppler depicts uniform distribution of blood vessels and normal peak systolic velocity of blood respectively. All OSMF patients were diagnosed upon clinical and histopathological examination. Clinical examination revealed 14 individuals with unilateral palpable fibrotic bands and 16 individuals with bilateral fibrotic bands whereas, ultrasonographic evaluation revealed 6 individuals with unilateral fibrotic bands and 24 individuals were with bilateral fibrotic bands, which was statistically significant. Ultrasonography demonstrated number, length and thickness of the fibrotic bands. Color Doppler and spectral Doppler showed decreased vascularity and PSV in lesional area. Prognosis evaluation revealed 25 cases of good prognosis and 5 cases were showed poor prognosis. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test revealed no significant difference of PSV was seen in poor prognosis patients. Conclusion: Ultrasonography is a non-invasive diagnostic tool for OSMF. It could be a better diagnostic tool compared to clinical and histopathological examination.

Electromotive drug administration for treatment of therapy-refractory overactive bladder

PURPOSE: Evaluate the benefits of electromotive drug administration (EMDA) as an alternative technique in patients with chronic overactive bladder in terms of improvement of symptoms, quality of life, and sexuality. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 72 patients with therapy-refractory overactive bladder according to the ICS (International Continence Society) definition, were treated by EMDA. The regimen consisted of three treatment cycles, each with 3 instillations at 2-week intervals. The solution instilled consisted of 100 mL 4 percent lidocaine, 100 mL distilled water, 40 mg dexamethasone, and 2 mL epinephrine. Peri-interventionally, a urine test and close circulatory monitoring were performed. All women underwent urodynamic testing and cystoscopy and kept a voiding diary. A comprehensive history was obtained, a quality of life questionnaire administered, and a gynecologic examination performed before initiation of therapy. The women underwent follow-up at 12 months after the end of therapy. RESULTS: The patients had a mean age of 63 (± 11.2) years. Bladder capacity improved significantly by 109 mL (± 55 mL) in 51 (71 percent) patients (p = 0.021). The number of micturitions/day decreased significantly to 7 (± 2) (p = 0.013). Quality of life was improved in 54 patients (75 percent); p = 0.024) and sexuality in 39 (54 percent); p = 0.020). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that EMDA can improve both quality of life and sexuality in patients with therapy-refractory chronic overactive bladder.

comparison of efficiency and safety of a single dose of intramuscular dexamethasone acetate with oral prednisolone in the management of asthma exacerbations in children

To determine wether a single intramuscular dexamethasone acetate injection is as effective as five days of oral prednisolone in improving symptoms and preventing relapse in children with acute asthma. This is a prospective quasi, randomized, and non-blinded trial. We enrolled 30 children, aged 9 months to 14 years with known history of asthma who presented to the emergency department with moderate exacerbation. The primary outcome was to measure the rate of relapse, persistance, worsening, recurrence of symptoms and hospitalization in 5 and 21 days after discharge from emergency department. All patients completed the study. More patients in the prednisolone group continued to use bronchodilator than patients in the dexamethasone group [three patients in the former compared to one patient in the second group]. No patient in both groups had severe replase or needed hospitalization. Patients in the prednisolone group experienced difficulty in administration of the tablets and 3 of them missed 50-75% of the total dose. There were no significant local or systemic adverse effects in both groups. All patients in dexamethasone group were satisfied with the treatment while most parents in the prednisolone group preferred an alternative form of treatment. We found that IM dexamethasone acetate is more clinically effective than a 5-day course of oral prednisolone tables in treatment of moderate asthma exacerbations. It was well tolerated, and preferred by most parents. we recommend it as an alternative option especially in those who are not compliant to oral prednisolone

Determination of dexamethasone sodium phosphate in the vitreous by high performance liquid chromatography

Dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DSP) is increasingly used in the treatment of ocular inflammatory diseases by systemic, periocular, and recently, intravitreal injection. We have developed a method for the determination of vitreous levels of DSP by reverse phase HPLC. In this method, co-elution of vitreous proteins with DSP is resolved by a prior sample clean-up procedure using Waters Sep-Pak C18 cartridge; the protein is separated and eluted with water while DSP, paraben and prednisone are eluted with methanol. DSP in the resulting sample is then separated by reverse phase HPLC and quantified by UV absorption at 254 nm. The recovery of DSP through the sample clean-up is 68.9 +/- 3.0%. DSP quantitation is linear from 0.1 mg to 1.0 mg per 1.0 ml vitreous. This method provides a simple, sensitive and reliable technique for determining the vitreous levels of DSP.