Predictive factors for disseminated histoplasmosis in AIDS patients with fever admitted to a reference hospital in Brazil

Abstract INTRODUCTION: In many settings, the lack of sensitive biomarkers of disseminated histoplasmosis (DH) leads to a clinical reliance on older diagnostic methods and delayed treatment initiation. The early recognition of DH is critical for survival, especially in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This study aimed to identify clinical and laboratory findings associated with the definitive diagnosis of DH in low-income HIV patients in endemic areas. METHODS: Febrile AIDS patients with suspected DH who were admitted to a reference hospital in northeastern Brazil from January 2006 to January 2007 were evaluated for clinical and laboratory findings associated with DH diagnosis. RESULTS: One hundred seventeen patients with fever were included, and 48 (41%) cases of DH were determined by Histoplasma capsulatum identification. A higher fever (≥38.5ºC), maculopapular/papular rash, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, wheezing, hemoglobin ≤9.5g/dL, platelets ≤80,000/µL, CD4 count ≤75/µL, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level ≥2.5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) ≥5times the ULN; and international normalized ratio (INR) >2 times the ULN were significantly associated with DH. A multivariable analysis identified hepatomegaly [adjusted (a) prevalence ratio (PR)= 1.96; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.21-3.16), CD4 count ≤75/µL (aPR = 2.02; 95% CI: 1.06-3.83), LDH ≥5 times the ULN (aPR = 2.23; 95% CI: 1.44-3.48), and maculopapular/papular rash (aPR = 1.70; 95% CI: 1.02-2.83) were independent risk factors for DH. CONCLUSIONS: These easily assessed parameters can facilitate clinical decision-making for febrile AIDS patients with suspected DH in low socioeconomic and Histoplasma-endemic regions.

Síndrome de Sweet em cicatriz cirúrgica / Sweet's syndrome on surgical scar

A síndrome de Sweet é dermatose rara, caracterizada por erupção aguda de placas e nódulos eritêmato-edematosos. Relata-se o caso de doente do sexo feminino, de 55 anos, com lesão cutânea compatível com síndrome de Sweet ao redor de cicatriz cirúrgica na face, após exérese de ceratose actínica e ingestão de dipirona. O caso relatado ressalta a possibilidade da ocorrência do fenômeno de Kõebner na síndrome de Sweet, provavelmente desencadeado pelo uso da dipirona

Sweet's syndrome is a rare dermatosis, characterized by acute tender erythematous plaques or nodules. The case of a 55-year old woman with a skin lesion compatible with Sweet's syndrome surrounding a surgical scar on the face, after removing an actinic keratosis lesion, and using dipyrone is reported. The reported case points to the possibility of the occurrence of Kõebner phenomenon in Sweet's syndrome, probably triggered by the use of dipyrone