Resposta ao tratamento de hepatite C com interferon peguilado e ribavirina apÃs transplante de fÃgado em um centro de referÃncia no nordeste do Brasil

Introduction: Liver disease caused by hepatitis C virus is the leading cause of liver transplantation in the United States and Europe. Unfortunately, recurrence of hepatitis C virus is universal, causing major impact in these patients. Treatment of hepatitis C virus in the posttransplant is a challenge due to poor tolerance and low success rate. Objective: To evaluate the response to hepatitisC virustreatment in patients undergoing liver transplantation at the HUWC / UFC. Methods:From May 18th 2002 to December 18th 2011, 601 patients underwent liver transplantation at the HUWC / UFC from which 176 (29,2%) with hepatitis C virus. Forty patients underwent therapy for hepatitis C after liver transplantation and included in the current study. The sustained virologic response (SVR) was determined, as well as factors associated with SVR and patient survival. Results:The mean age of patients was 53,33 years and 32 (80%) were male. The mean donor age was 42,88 years. Twenty-six patients (65%) were infected with genotype 1. Eight patients (20%) were exposed to hepatitis C virus treatment in the pre-transplant period. Twenty-eight (70%)patients completed the treatment protocol, composed of PEG-INF and RBV for 48 weeks. Only 1patient developed cellular rejection during treatment. The SVR rate was 55%, by intention to treat analysis. The recipient age and the exposure to antiviral treatment in the pre-transplant period were associated with SVR factors in multivariate analysis. Patients were followed up for 57 months on average. Eleven patients died during the study. Survival of patients who achieved RVS at 1, 3 and 5 years was 100%, while in those who did not achieved SVR was 100%, 90% and 78% respectively. Conclusion: The SVR rate was 55%.The SVR rate decreased with increasing age of the receptor. Exposure to antiviral treatment in the pre-transplant period had a negative impact on SVR rate. The overall survival of patients who achieved an SVR was similar to patients who have not achieved an SVR.IntroduÃÃo: A doenÃa hepÃtica causada pelo vÃrus da hepatite C (VHC) à a principal causa de transplante hepÃtico nos Estados Unidos e na Europa. Infelizmente, a recidiva do VHC à universal e tem importante impacto na evoluÃÃo desses pacientes. O tratamento da hepatite C no perÃodo pÃs-trasnplante à um desafio, tendo em vista a pouca tolerÃncia e as baixas taxas de sucesso. Objetivos: Avaliar a resposta ao tratamento da hepatite C em pacientes submetidos a transplante hepÃtico no HUWC/UFC. MÃtodos: Durante o perÃodo de 18 de maio de 2002 a 18 de dezembro de 2011, 601 pacientes foram submetidos a transplante hepÃtico no Hospital UniversitÃrio Walter CantÃdio/Universidade Federal de Cearà (HUWC/UFC), sendo 176(29,2%) portadores de hepatite C. Destes, quarenta pacientes realizaram tratamento contra o VHC apÃs o transplante e foram incluÃdos no presente estudo. Foram determinadas a RVS, assim como fatores associados com a RVS e a sobrevida dos pacientes. Resultados: A mÃdia de idade dos pacientes foi de 53,33 anos, sendo 32 (80%) do gÃnero masculino. A mÃdia de idade dos doadores foi de 42,88 anos. Vinte e seis pacientes (65%) eram infectados pelo genÃtipo 1. Oito pacientes (20%) haviam sido expostos, no perÃodo prÃ-transplante, a tratamento antiviral para o VHC. Vinte e oito (70%) pacientes concluÃram o protocolo de tratamento proposto, composto de interferon-peguilado e ribavirina por 48 semanas. Apenas 1 paciente desenvolveu rejeiÃÃo celular durante o tratamento. A taxa de RVS foi de 55%, por intenÃÃo de tratar. A idade do receptor e a exposiÃÃo a tratamento antiviral no perÃodo prÃ-transplante foram fatores associados com a RVS na anÃlise multivariada. Os pacientes foram acompanhados por 57 meses em mÃdia. Onze pacientes foram a Ãbito durante o estudo. A sobrevida em 1, 3 e 5 anos dos pacientes que obtiveram RVS foi de 100%, enquanto que nos que nÃo obtiveram RVS foi de 100%, 90% e 78% respectivamente. ConclusÃes: A taxa de RVS foide 55%. A taxa de RVS decresceu com o aumento da idade do receptor. A exposiÃÃo a tratamento antiviral no perÃodo prÃ-transplante teve impacto negativo na taxa de RVS. A sobrevida global dos pacientes com e sem RVS foi semelhante

Helicobacter pylori eradication using tetracycline and furazolidone versus amoxicillin and azithromycin in lansoprazole based triple therapy: an open randomized clinical trial Erradicação de Helicobacter pylori com o uso de tetraciclina e furazolidona versus amoxicilina e azitromicina em terapia tríplice com lansoprazol

BACKGROUND: Optimal anti-Helicobacter pylori treatment has not yet been established. AIM: To evaluate H. pylori eradication using tetracycline and furazolidone versus amoxicillin and azithromycin in lansoprazole based triple therapy in northeastern of Brazil. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and four patients with H. pylori infection, as determined by rapid urease testing and histology, were randomly assigned to receive either: lansoprazole (30 mg q.d.), tetracycline (500 mg q.i.d.), and furazolidone (200 mg t.i.d.) for 7 days (LTF; n = 52); or lansoprazole (30 mg b.i.d.) and amoxicillin (1 g b.i.d.) for 1 week, plus azithromycin (500 mg q.d.) for the first 3 days (LAAz; n = 52). H. pylori eradication was assessed 3 months following completion of therapy by means of rapid urease testing, histology and a 14C-urea breath test. RESULTS: H. pylori eradication was achieved in 46 of 52 (88.4%, 95% CI: 77.5%-95.1%) patients in LTF group and in 14 of 52 (26.9%, 95% CI: 16.2%-40,1%) patients in LAAz group. On a per-protocol analysis, eradication rates were 91.8% (95% CI: 81.4%-97.3%) and 28.5% (95% CI: 17.2%-42.3%), respectively in LTF and LAAz groups. CONCLUSION: The LAAz regimen yielded unacceptably low eradication rates. On the other hand, the LTF scheme represents a suitable alternative for H. pylori eradication.<br>RACIONAL: Ainda não está estabelecida a melhor terapêutica anti-H. pylori. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a erradicação de H.pylori usando tetraciclina e furazolidona versus amoxicilina e azitromicina em terapia tríplice com lansoprazol no nordeste do Brasil. PACIENTES E MÉTODOS: Cento e quatro pacientes infectados por H. pylori, diagnosticado através do teste rápido da urease e histologia, foram selecionados aleatoriamente para receber: lansoprazol (30 mg q.d.), tetraciclina (500 mg q.i.d.), furazolidona (200 mg t.i.d.) por 7 dias (LTF; n = 52); ou lansoprazol (30 mg b.i.d.) e amoxicilina (1 g b.i.d.) por 1 semana, mais azitromicina (500 mg q.d.) nos primeiros 3 dias (LAAz; n = 52). A erradicação de H.pylori foi avaliada 3 meses após término da terapia através do teste da urease, histologia e teste respiratório usando uréia marcada com 14Carbono. RESULTADOS: A erradicação do H. pylori foi atingida em 46 de 52 (88.4%, 95% CI: 77.5%-95.1%) pacientes no grupo LTF e em 14 de 52 (26.9%, 95% CI: 16.2%-40,1%) pacientes no grupo LAAz. Na análise per-protocolo, a taxa de erradicação foi de 91.8% (95% CI: 81.4%-97.3%) e 28.5% (95% CI: 17.2%-42.3%), respectivamente no grupo de LTF e LAAz. CONCLUSÃO: O esquema com LAAz ofereceu taxas de erradicação inaceitáveis. Por outro lado, o esquema com LTF representa alternativa adequada para erradicação de H.pylori

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora

Diminishing benefits of urban living for children and adolescents’ growth and development

Optimal growth and development in childhood and adolescence is crucial for lifelong health and well-being1–6. Here we used data from 2,325 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight from 71 million participants, to report the height and body-mass index (BMI) of children and adolescents aged 5–19 years on the basis of rural and urban place of residence in 200 countries and territories from 1990 to 2020. In 1990, children and adolescents residing in cities were taller than their rural counterparts in all but a few high-income countries. By 2020, the urban height advantage became smaller in most countries, and in many high-income western countries it reversed into a small urban-based disadvantage. The exception was for boys in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and in some countries in Oceania, south Asia and the region of central Asia, Middle East and north Africa. In these countries, successive cohorts of boys from rural places either did not gain height or possibly became shorter, and hence fell further behind their urban peers. The difference between the age-standardized mean BMI of children in urban and rural areas was <1.1 kg m–2 in the vast majority of countries. Within this small range, BMI increased slightly more in cities than in rural areas, except in south Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and some countries in central and eastern Europe. Our results show that in much of the world, the growth and developmental advantages of living in cities have diminished in the twenty-first century, whereas in much of sub-Saharan Africa they have amplified