[Assessment of erythropoietin treatment in preterm newborns older than 30 weeks of gestation]. / Evaluation du traitement par érythropoïétine chez les nouveau-nés de plus 30 semaines d'aménorrhée.

BACKGROUND: Human recombinant erythropoietin (rhEPO) has shown a benefit in reducing the number of transfusions in very-low-birth-weight infants. However, no study has reported benefits in older preterms (i.e., 30-32 weeks of gestation [WG]). This study aimed to evaluate the benefit of rhEPO between 30 and 32 WG. METHODS: Two groups of preterms between 30 and 32 WG were compared in a retrospective study: period 1 with rhEPO (January 2005 to October 2006) and period 2 without rhEPO (November 2006 to May 2007). Newborns with intra-uterine growth retardation, rhesus isoimmunization or surgical procedures were excluded. The main criterion was the number of blood transfusions; the second criterion was hemoglobin at 2, 4 and 6 weeks of life. Morbidity was evaluated on necrotizing enterocolitis, intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and periventricular leukomalacia. RESULTS: Fifty-nine newborns receiving rhEPO and 19 not receiving rhEPO (controls) were included. The two groups were similar for birth weight (p=0.06) and hemoglobin at birth (p=0.41). Only one child (rhEPO group) needed a transfusion. Hemoglobin at 2 weeks (p=0.74), 4 weeks (p=0.13) and 6 weeks (p=0.35) were not statistically different. There was no difference between the 2 groups for necrotizing enterocolitis, IVH or periventricular leukomalacia. CONCLUSION: This study did not find any benefit using rhEPO in 30 to 32 WG preterm infants in terms of the number of transfusions or hemoglobin levels.

Conforto térmico do recém-nascido em ambiente com umidade controlada: uma nova ferramenta e testes preliminares / Thermal comfort of newborn infants in environment with controlled moisture: a new toll and preliminary test

Este trabalho apresenta resultados de testes clínicos preliminares de um sistema ativo de controle de unidade para incubadoras neonatais. O sistema é capaz de controlar a umidade relativa entre 30 por cento a 90 por cento na faixa de temperatura de 28 Graus Celsius a 39 Graus Celsius. As crianças que participaram dos testes tinham de 30 a 37 semanas de gestação com idades entre 7 a 25 dias. Durante os testes, as freqüências cardíaca e respiratória e a agitação da criança foram registrados sugerindo uma tendência de redução em seus valores com o aumento da umidade relativa

Abstract - Results of preliminary tests are presented about an active system to humidity contrai in neonatal incubator. The system is able to contrai the relative humidity between 30 % to 90 % into 28 ºC a 39 ºC temperature range. The newborn utilized in this research have 30 to 37 weeks of pregnancy and 7 to 25 days after bi11h. During tests, the cardiac and respiratory frequency and body movement were registered suggesting a tendency of reduction when the relative humidity was increased

[Primitive Sjögren's syndrome in France and Ecuador. Possible involvement od HTLV 1]. / Syndrome de Sjögren primitif en France et en Equateur. Possible implication de l'HTLV1.

The authors study the possible involvement of retrovirus in Sjögren's syndrome. They report a preliminary study of 20 French and 13 Ecuadorian patients with a primary Sjögren syndrome. A previous epidemiologic study showed a HTLV1 seroprevalence going from 0.04 to 6% on different regions of Ecuador. The results of this study show the presence of anti-HTLV1 antibodies only in 2 Ecuadorian patients and does not allow a final conclusion of the role of HTLV1 virus. Nevertheless other studies continue on the serie using minor salivary gland specimens obtained by biopsy. Recent publications and the notion of an "endogen" retrovirus will may be lighten a new day in this research.

[Ecology of various tropical dermatoses in Peru]. / Ecología de algunas dermatosis tropicales en el Perú.

Special circumstances: Mountains called "Los Andes", the Humbolt maritime current, subtropical region; which makes the peruvian territory present the ecosystem which influence the fauna, flora, and pothology. Contain diseases like parasite dermatosis (mal de Pinto, verruga peruana, leishmaniasis, blastomycosis and pain) have close relation with the different ecosystem of the peruvian territory. This study only includes these dermatosis and are resumed as follows: The disease called, mal del Pinto is only diffused in the arid coast, andean valleys and the virgin forest (it is found in altitudes of 800 to 1,000 m.). The verruga peruvian: Is found in the occidental part of the andean valleys (at 800 and 1,000 m. of altitude). Leishmaniasis exist in two forms: One like bottom of orient with only skin alteration called leishmaniasis andina (uta for the indians), its propagated in the coast and the andean valleys at 200 m. (amount 1,200 to 3,000); the otter form affects the mycosis, called leishmaniasis americana (espundia for the indians), its it propagates general in the virgin forest. The brazilian blastomycosis only exists in the virgin forest. The pain, disease does not exist in the arid coast, nor in the andean valleys. Geographically, for its propagation it is necessary heat, humidity and heavy rainy water, that is why it is only found in the virgin forest.