Carcinomas renales poco frecuentes / Infrequent renal tumors

En los últimos 10 años se han descrito algunos tumores renales poco frecuentes, algunos de los cuales se han incluido en la nueva clasificación de tumores renales de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (2004); otros, como el carcinoma tubuloquístico, no han sido bien caracterizados y estudiados, en gran parte por lo poco frecuentes, y por lo tanto no se han incluido en dicha clasificación. En este artículo revisamos el conocimiento actual acerca de tres de estos tumores: carcinoma renal mucinoso tubular y de células fusiformes, carcinoma de células renales asociado a la translocación Xp11.2/gen de fusión TFE3 y carcinoma tubuloquístico.

Hepatitis C (HCV) genotype and viral titer distribution among Argentinean hemophilic patients in the presence or absence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection.

Hepatitis C (HCV) infection is frequent among hemophilic patients treated with non-inactivated factor-concentrates. Both HCV genotype and viral load have been suggested to be important prognostic markers of disease progression and treatment outcome. In addition, co-infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been associated with increased level of HCV replication and higher risk of developing liver failure. Thus, HCV genotype, viral load, and HIV co-infection are important factors in HCV infection. Using restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (RFLP) and the branched-DNA (bDNA) assay, we retrospectively investigated the HCV genotypes and viral loads present in 59 Argentinean hemophiliacs, in the presence or absence of HIV infection. HCV genotype 1 was the predominant viral variant detected among HIV-negative (HIV-) (76%) and HIV-positive (HIV+) (82.5%) patients, followed by genotypes 3 (10.4%), 2 (2%) and a small proportion of multiply co-infected patients including genotypes 4 and 5 (6.25%). HIV+ patients had higher plasma HCV RNA levels than HIV- patients (88.4 +/- 16.5 x 10(5) Eq/ml vs. 24.7 +/- 10(5) Eq/ml) (P < 0.001); however, no correlation between HCV replication and level of immune suppression, evaluated by CD4+ T-cell measurement, was observed among HIV+ patients (r = 0.017). Abnormal and higher ALT levels were more frequently detected among HIV+ (93%; 123.6 +/- 15.7 U/liter) than HIV- (41%; 70.2 +/- 24.2 U/liter) patients (P < 0.001; P < 0.05). Although we were able to confirm previous reports suggesting the existence of increased HCV replication in HIV/HCV co-infected hemophiliacs, our data did not support the conclusion that HIV-induced immune suppression is directly responsible for this phenomena. It is possible that other factors induced by HIV are responsible for the increased levels in HCV replication observed.

PIP: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is widespread among hemophiliacs treated with non-inactivated factor concentrates. The HCV genotypes and viral loads present in 59 hemophiliacs from Argentina were investigated through use of restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and the branched DNA assay. 30 subjects were also infected with HIV. In both HIV-positive and HIV-negative hemophiliacs, HCV genotype 1 was the predominant viral variant (82.5% and 76%, respectively), followed by genotypes 3 and 2. HIV-positive hemophiliacs had significantly higher mean HCV viral loads than HIV-negative hemophiliacs; however, there was no association between HCV replication and the level of immune suppression as evaluated by CD4 T-cell measurement. Although HCV replication was increased in individuals co-infected with HCV and HIV, the data did not support the hypothesis that HIV-induced immune suppression is directly responsible for this finding. A study currently underway is investigating a possible correlation between infecting HCV genotype or pre-existing viral load and the severity of disease as assessed by liver histology or treatment outcome.