[Study of 176 HIV-seropositive children in Santa Catarina State]. / Estudo de 176 crianças soropositivas para o HIV em Santa Catarina.

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has increased in Santa Catarina State in Brazil over the last years, with a high number of infected women and children. The purpose of this study was to establish the main characteristics of the children from this State whose HIV serologic tests were positive. METHODS: This was a descriptive study of 176 children with positive serologic tests to HIV, conducted in the Hospital Infantil Joana de Gusmão, Florianópolis City, Santa Catarina State, Brazil. RESULTS: Most of the children (105 cases, 59.6%) were born in Florianópolis, Capital of Santa Catarina State, and Itajaí (22 cases, 12.5%). Vertical transmission of HIV was observed in 167 patients (94.9%). Among 167 HIV-positive mothers, 77 (46.1%) of them acquired the virus by sexual transmission and 35 (21.0%) by use of injectable drugs. However, among 89 HIV-positive fathers, 63 (70.7%) of them used to take drugs. The average age of the HIV-positive children whose serologic tests became negative was 10.5 months. Among 103 symptomatic patients, 87 (84.5%) presented hepatomegaly, 81 (78.6%) lymphadenopathy, 66 (64.0%) splenomegaly, 59 (57.3%) skin bruises, 54 (52.4%) recurrent bronchopneumonia and 50 cases (48.5%) recurrent diarrhea. The most frequent opportunistic infection was mucocutaneous candidiasis that occurred in 41 children (39.8%). CONCLUSIONS: The characteristics were similar to those reported in the literature. A great concentration of HIV infected persons was observed in the coast area where there are three harbor towns, an elevated number of injectable drug users and presence of many tourists.

Relationship between epidermal growth factor receptor and other prognostic factors in gynecological cancers.

In 62 cases of gynecological malignancies, 16 of the ovarian, 31 of the endometrium and 15 of the cervix, the EGF-R status was evaluated in order to establish its prognostic value and its correlation with other classical prognostic factors. We have failed to demonstrate any correlation between EGF-R status and stage, grade and hormonal receptors, ER/PgR, in ovarian and cervical cancer. In contrast, in endometrial cancer, we observed significantly lower levels of EGF-R in poorly differentiated tumors. Moreover, a weak negative relationship between EGF-R and PgR status was found. Regarding survival, we noticed a better prognosis in patients with ovarian cancer EGF-R positive, but without statistical significance.

[Current trends in the therapy of C.I.N. (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia)]. / Attuali orientamenti nella terapia delle C.I.N. (cervical intraepitelial neoplasia).

The Authors examine the epidemiological data on cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (C.I.N.) and review the various therapeutic methods available for it's treatment, paying special attention to the outpatient treatment of these precancerous portio lesions.

Estetrol and utero-placental flow after progesterone load.

On the basis of recent demonstration in animals of the effect of some hormones on uteroplacental flow, the Authors examined the response of plasmatic Estetrol (15 alpha-hydroxy-estriol) after the administration of progesterone to pregnant women with low Estrogen values. The increase of this compound was related to an improvement of placental function, probably dependent on an increase of available O2, and therefore on uterine blood flow. This can justify a progesterone treatment in such pregnancies.

Unconjugated estetrol in normal pregnancy.

The Authors studied the levels of Estetrol (15 alpha-hydroxyestriol) in the amniotic fluid, in maternal and foetal plasma, by the RIA method, in near-term pregnancies. Higher concentrations of this steroid were found in the foetal plasma and in amniotic fluid than in the maternal plasma. These data, even though of little clinical importance, confirm the foetal origin of this compound and suggest further studies, especially in the amniotic compartment.

[Intrahepatic cholestasis and fetal prognosis (author's transl)]. / Colestasi intraepatica gravidica e progonosi fetale.

The Authors have executed a retrospective study about the incidence of intrahepatic cholestasis in pregnancy in 85 patients hospitalized in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Parma. Particularly, they have investigated about the incidence of fetal distress, about the intrauterine death, and about poor intrauterine fetal growth.