High D-dimer levels are associated with prostate cancer

RESUMO OBJETIVO O câncer de próstata é uma das neoplasias mais comuns em homens. Os principais fatores de risco para a ativação da coagulação e trombose são malignidade e idade mais avançada. O risco de trombose pode estar associado ao aumento do nível dos marcadores de coagulação, tais como o fibrinogênio e D-dímero. O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar a relação entre os marcadores de coagulação e o câncer de próstata. METODOLOGIA Este estudo prospectivo incluiu os pacientes que foram submetidos à biópsia de próstata transretal guiada por ultrassonografia e que passaram por cirurgia da próstata entre janeiro de 2015 e janeiro de 2016. Os níveis no plasma de antígeno prostático específico (PSA), PSA livre (fPSA), porcentagem de fPSA, D-dímero e fibrinogênio foram medidos antes dos procedimentos. Os pacientes foram divididos em dois grupos de acordo com os resultados de patologia. Os pacientes com hiperplasia benigna da próstata foram colocados no grupo 1 e os pacientes com câncer de próstata no grupo 2. RESULTADOS No total, 76 pacientes foram incluídos neste estudo. Houve um total de 53 pacientes no grupo 1 e 23 pacientes no grupo 2. A idade média dos pacientes e os níveis de PSA, fPSA, fibrinogênio e D-dímero foram, respectivamente, 65.33 ± 7.47 anos, 8.21 ± 4.59, 1.41 ± 0.74 ng/ml, 309.75 ± 80.46 mg/dl e 0.42 ± 0.39 µg/ml no grupo 1. No grupo 2, a idade média dos pacientes e os níveis de PSA, fPSA, fibrinogênio e D-dímero foram, respectivamente, 66.08 ± 6.7 anos, 145.69 ± 509.35, 7.32 ± 15 ng/ml, 312.16 ± 69.48 mg/dl, 1.09 ± 2.11 µg/ml. Biópsia da próstata e cirurgia transuretal foram realizadas em 64 (%84,21) e 12 (%15,79) pacientes, respectivamente. CONCLUSÃO O presente estudo demonstrou que os níveis de D-dímero no plasma foram maiores em pacientes com câncer de próstata. Novos estudos com um maior número de pacientes são necessários para definir a relação entre câncer de próstata e distúrbios de coagulação.

Evaluación de 200 pacientes pediátricos expuestos al riesgo de contraer rabia / Assessment of 200 pediatric patients exposed to rabies risk

Antecedentes/Objetivo: La rabia continúa siendo un grave problema de salud pública, especialmente en los países subdesarrollados o en vías de desarrollo. El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar las características demográficas y los programas de vacunación de los pacientes ingresados con diagnóstico presuntivo de rabia al Centro de Emergencias Pediátricas de nuestro hospital, que funciona como uno de los centros de vacunación antirrábica de nuestra provincia. Métodos: En este estudio, se analizaron retrospectivamente las historias clínicas de 200 pacientes ingresados al Centro de Emergencias Pediátricas con presunta exposición al virus de la rabia. Resultados: Entre los 200 casos, se halló que el riesgo de contraer rabia era mayor en el grupo de 5 a 9 años. El 68,5% de los casos tenían antecedentes de haber sido mordidos por un perro; el 29,5%, de haber sido rasguñados por un gato; y el 2%, de haber tenido contacto con otros animales. En el 76% de los casos se trataba de animales callejeros, solamente el 11% tenían dueño y habían sido vacunados, y estaban bajo supervisión. Se administró solamente la vacuna antirrábica al 42,5% de los pacientes ingresados, la vacuna antirrábica y la vacuna antitetánica al 51,5%, y la vacuna antirrábica, la vacuna antitetánica y concentrado de inmunoglobulinas antirrábicas al 6%. Se detectó que la profilaxis postexposición se había realizado según las recomendaciones en el 83,5% de los casos. Conclusión: La rabia continúa siendo un problema de salud pública grave en los países en vías de desarrollo, como el nuestro. Consideramos que es necesario sensibilizar a la sociedad; las autoridades locales deben esforzarse por luchar contra los animales callejeros y supervisar los servicios; el personal de la salud involucrado debe actualizarse mediante capacitaciones para reducir los casos de rabia.

Background/Purpose: Rabies is still an important health problem particularly in underdeveloped or developing countries. In this study, the aim was to investigate demographic characteristics and vaccination schedules of cases suspected of having rabies and admitted to the Pediatric Emergency Clinic of our hospital, which serves as one of the Rabies Vaccination Centers in our province. Methods: In our study, medical records of 200 patients admitted to the Pediatric Emergency Clinic with suspicion of risk of contact with the rabies virus were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Of those 200 cases, rabies risk was found to be greater in the 5-9 year old group. There was a history of having been bitten by dogs in 68.5% of cases, cat scratch in 29.5%, and contact with other animals in 2%. While 76% of animals were stray animals, only 11% of them had an owner and had been vaccinated, and were under supervision. Rabies vaccination only had been administered to 42.5% of admitted patients, tetanus and rabies vaccination to 51.5%, tetanus; rabies vaccination and human rabies immune globulin were administered to 6%. Post-exposure prophylaxis was found to have been given as recommended to 83.5% of cases. Conclusion: Rabies remains an important public health problem in developing countries Like ours. We consider that public awareness should be raised; local authorities should devote efforts to control stray animals and supervise such services, and updated guidance and training should be provided to the concerned health staff to reduce the risk of rabies.

Acesso ao cuidado à saúde da criança em serviços de atenção primária / Access to child's health care in primary care services / Acceso al cuidado de la salud del niño en servicios de atención primaria

Realizou-se uma pesquisa de abordagem qualitativa com base no referencial metodológico da hermenêutica dialética, com o objetivo de identificar o atributo acesso da atenção primária para a resolução dos problemas de saúde de crianças menores de um ano a partir dos relatos de pais e cuidadores. Envolveram-se 16 cuidadores de crianças atendidas em unidades de pronto atendimento de Cascavel-PR, em 2010. Foram reconhecidas quatro categorias temáticas: Aconselhamento familiar ao buscar atenção à saúde da criança; Ausência de acolhimento ao primeiro contato; Presença de classificação de risco para atenção à saúde da criança; Barreiras que impedem o acesso à atenção à saúde. Concluiu-se que as famílias exibiram dificuldades para alcançar resolutividade aos problemas de saúde dos filhos, mediante a falta de acesso aos serviços de atenção primária.

It was conducted a qualitative study based on the methodological framework of dialectical hermeneutics, aiming to identify the attribute access from primary care to solve the health problems of children under one year old from the reports of parents and caregivers. Sixteen caregivers of children were involved, all of them seen in the emergency units of Cascavel-PR, in 2010. Four thematic categories were recognized: Family counselling in seeking health care for the child; Absence of reception on the first contact; Presence of risk classification to the child´s health attention; Barriers that block the access to health care. It was conclude that, families showed difficulties to reach the solution for their children´s health, because of the lack of access to primary care services.

Llevó-se a cabo un estudio cualitativo basado en el marco metodológico de la hermenéutica dialéctica, con el objetivo de identificar el atributo de acceso a la atención primaria para resolver los problemas de salud de los niños menores de un año, a partir de los informes de los padres y cuidadores. Se involucró 16 cuidadores de niños atendidos en las unidades de emergencia de Cascavel-PR, en 2010. Cuatro categorías temáticas fueron reconocidas: Asesoramiento de la familia en la búsqueda de atención de salud para el niño; Ausencia de acogimiento al primero contacto; Presencia de clasificación de riesgo para el cuidado de la salud del niño; Barreras que impiden el acceso a la atención sanitaria. Se concluyó que las familias tuvieron dificultades para lograr la solución de los problemas de salud de los niños, mediante la falta de acceso a los servicios de atención primaria.

The association between plasma D-dimer levels and community-acquired pneumonia

BACKGROUND: Plasma D-dimer levels are directly related to the intra- and extra-vascular coagulation that occurs in acute and chronic lung damage in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). OBJECTIVES: This study examines the relationship between the severity of community-acquired pneumonia and D-dimer levels. In addition, the study examines the correlations among community-acquired pneumonia, the radiological extent of the disease and mortality. METHODS: The Pneumonia Severity Index was used to classify patients into five groups. Patients were treated at home or in the hospital according to the guidelines for community-acquired pneumonia. Blood samples were taken from the antecubital vein with an injector and placed into citrated tubes. After they were centrifuged, the samples were evaluated with the quantitative latex method. RESULTS: The study included 60 patients who had been diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia (mean age 62.5 ± 11.7) and 24 healthy controls (mean age 59.63 ± 6.63). The average plasma D-dimer levels were 337.3 ± 195.1ng/mL in the outpatient treatment group, 691.0 ± 180.5 in the inpatient treatment group, 1363.2 ± 331.5 ng/mLin the intensive care treatment group and 161.3 ± 38.1ng/mL in the control group (p<0.001). The mean D-dimer plasma level was 776.1 ± 473.5ng/mL in patients with an accompanying disease and 494.2 ± 280.1 ng/mL in patients without an accompanying disease (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Plasma D-dimer levels were increased even in community-acquired pneumonia patients who did not have an accompanying disease that would normally cause such an increase.

Plasma D-dimer levels in patients with typhoid fever.

The plasma levels of D-dimer can be used as a marker of fibrin formation and degradation. Plasma D-dimer levels in the febrile phase of 6 patients with typhoid fever and in the afebrile convalescent phase of 4 of them were measured. D-dimer levels were high in the febrile phase of all 6 patients and within normal range in the afebrile convalescent phase of all 4 patients. Our results indicate that thrombus formation and fibrinolysis may occur in the febrile phase of patients with typhoid fever.

The fibrinogen degradation products (FgDP) levels in liver disease

We measured plasma levels of fibrinogen degradation products (FgDP) with newly developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay based on monoclonal antibody to assess the fibrinogenolytic state in 52 patients with various liver diseases (27 patients with liver cirrhosis, 10 with chronic hepatitis, 7 with acute hepatitis, 6 with hepatocellular carcinoma, 2 with intrahepatic cholestasis). As compared with 20 healthy subjects (upper limit: 580 ng/ml), elevated plasma levels (660-32000 ng/ml) of FgDP were found in 19 (36.5%) patients. When analyzed according to the underlying disease categories, the magnitude of elevations of FgDP were most prominent in patients with chronic hepatitis. No correlation was found between plasma FgDP levels and serum AST or ALT activity. These findings indicate that increased primary fibrinogenolysis is not rare in liver disease, but poorly correlates with liver function.

Hemostatic changes in neonates with anoxia and sepsis.

Hemostatic profile (prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT), kaolin cephalin clotting time (KCCT), plasma fibrinogen, serum fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products (FDP) and platelet counts) was examined in 153 neonates with birth anoxia and 86 with sepsis. Remarkable hemostatic alterations occurred in neonates with severe anoxia and sepsis, while those with moderate anoxia exhibited minimal or no change. Vitamin K administration to anoxic babies showed no improvement in the hemostatic profile after 48-72 hours. The hemostatic alterations were presumably due to incipient disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). In spite of the marked coagulation changes, only 3 neonates with sepsis and none of the anoxic newborns presented with clinical bleeding indicating a well balanced hemostatic mechanism.

Problems of diagnosis of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).

Acute generalized intravascular coagulation is regularly associated with fibrinolysis. Evidence of the clotting process includes thrombocytopenia, hypofibrinogenemia, prolongation of the prothrombin time (deficiency of factor V and fibrinogen) and of the partial thromboplastin time (factor VIII is also deficient). Evidence of fibrinolysis is elevation of fibrinolytic split products (FSP or FDP). A positive protamine gel results from both coagulation and fibrinolysis.

Serum and Urinary Fibrin/Fibrinogen Degradation Products in Patients with Korean Hemorrhagic Fever; With Particular Reference to Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation and Acute Renal Failure

Korean hemorrhagic fever is a disease with an acute onset of severe hemorrhagic tendency and acute renal failure. Acute renal failure may be produced by inducing intravascular coagulation in experimental animals, and also, coagulation mechanisms may play a pathogenetic role in certain human renal diseases. One of the clinical consequences of DIC is serious ischemic tissue damage due to capillary flow blocking by fibrin deposits. The kidney is particularly vulnerable to ischemic effects. For the detection of intravascular coagulation, FDP assay is known as a more sensitive and reliable test than are other coagulation studies. Therefore, from September, 1973 to January, l974, the serum and the urine of the selected patients with Korean hemorrhagic fever who had a typical clinical course were subjected to study. The alterations of the serum and urinary FDP concentrations, and the other hematologic, blood chemistry, and urinary examinations were studied in a total of 177 examples of each febrile, hypotensive, oliguric, diuretic, and convalescent phase. Both the serum and urinary FDP concentrations were significantly higher than normal. This data indicates that DIC is detected in Korean hemorrhagic fever, where it may play a major pathogenetic role. And the urinary FDP concentration more closely reflects the severity of renal lesions in this disease than does the serum FDP concentration and the blood urea nitrogen level. It can be assumed that the concentration of urinary FDP can be used as a therapeutic criteria, and is correlated to the intensity and the prognosis of the disease. Also the possibility of improvement following anticoagulant treatment may be proposed. It appears that acute renal failure in this disease has a close relationship to DIC. In its pathogenesis it can be assumed that disruption of the renal cortical perfusion plays a major role in this Korean hemorrhagic fever.