ELISA versus PCR for diagnosis of chronic Chagas disease: systematic review and meta-analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Most current guidelines recommend two serological tests to diagnose chronic Chagas disease. When serological tests are persistently inconclusive, some guidelines recommend molecular tests. The aim of this investigation was to review chronic Chagas disease diagnosis literature and to summarize results of ELISA and PCR performance.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A systematic review was conducted searching remote databases (MEDLINE, LILACS, EMBASE, SCOPUS and ISIWeb) and full texts bibliography for relevant abstracts. In addition, manufacturers of commercial tests were contacted. Original investigations were eligible if they estimated sensitivity and specificity, or reliability -or if their calculation was possible - of ELISA or PCR tests, for chronic Chagas disease.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Heterogeneity was high within each test (ELISA and PCR) and threshold effect was detected only in a particular subgroup. Reference standard blinding partially explained heterogeneity in ELISA studies, and pooled sensitivity and specificity were 97.7% [96.7%-98.5%] and 96.3% [94.6%-97.6%] respectively. Commercial ELISA with recombinant antigens studied in phase three investigations partially explained heterogeneity, and pooled sensitivity and specificity were 99.3% [97.9%-99.9%] and 97.5% [88.5%-99.5%] respectively. ELISA's reliability was seldom studied but was considered acceptable. PCR heterogeneity was not explained, but a threshold effect was detected in three groups created by using guanidine and boiling the sample before DNA extraction. PCR sensitivity is likely to be between 50% and 90%, while its specificity is close to 100%. PCR reliability was never studied.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Both conventional and recombinant based ELISA give useful information, however there are commercial tests without technical reports and therefore were not included in this review. Physicians need to have access to technical reports to understand if these serological tests are similar to those included in this review and therefore correctly order and interpret test results. Currently, PCR should not be used in clinical practice for chronic Chagas disease diagnosis and there is no PCR test commercially available for this purpose. Tests limitations and directions for future research are discussed.</p

Fatores associados à interrupção do aleitamento materno exclusivo em lactentes com até 30 dias

RESUMO Objetivo Identificar fatores associados à interrupção do aleitamento materno exclusivo (AME) em lactentes com até 30 dias de vida. Método Estudo transversal realizado em hospital universitário do Sul do país, de dezembro de 2014 a setembro de 2015, com 341 lactentes com até 30 dias de vida e suas mães. Aplicou-se questionário estruturado composto por variáveis relativas às características sociodemográficas e história obstétrica da mãe, escolaridade do companheiro, dados do lactente e da amamentação. Procedeu-se análise bivariada e multivariada, como cálculo de Razão de Prevalências (RP). Resultados Prevalência de 79,5% de AME. Lactentes ≥ 21 dias, que receberam complemento lácteo no hospital, mães com dificuldade de amamentação pós-alta hospitalar e não-brancas apresentaram associação à interrupção do AME. Conclusão Os fatores associados à interrupção do AME direcionam os profissionais de saúde a proporem ações de apoio à mãe e lactente em vista de suas dificuldades, prevenindo a interrupção do AME

Carcinomas basocelulares: estudo clínico e anatomopatológico de 704 tumores Basal cell carcinomas: anatomopathological and clinical study of 704 tumors

FUNDAMENTOS: Este é um estudo retrospectivo e anatomopatológico de 704 carcinomas basocelulares de 623 pacientes, diagnosticados no período de 1991 a 1996, no setor de Dermatopatologia da Clínica Dermatológica do Hospital das Clínicas da UFPE e em um laboratório privado de dermatopatologia da cidade do Recife. OBJETIVOS: Caracterizar aspectos clínicos e anatomopatológicos dos carcinomas basocelulares diagnosticados nos dois serviços da região de Pernambuco. MÉTODOS: Para o estudo clínico, os dados foram retirados dos prontuários e para o estudo anatomopatológico, macro e microscópicos, foram feitas revisão dos preparados histológicos. Para o crescimento vertical empregaram-se métodos baseados nas técnicas histoprognósticas de Clark e Breslow, aplicadas ao melanoma maligno. RESULTADOS: Clínicos: a maior incidência foi no sexo feminino (55,7%), faixa etária de 55 a 72 anos, tempo de evolução com variabilidade elevadíssima, desde um mês a 40 anos, e a cabeça foi a região topográfica mais freqüente (73,8%), principalmente nasal (21,1%) e zigomática (18,5%). A forma nodular pigmentada (47,4%) foi a mais encontrada e o tamanho das lesões independeu do tempo evolutivo. Histologicamente os padrões considerados baseados apenas nos arranjos parenquimais, foram os adenóide, compacto, fibroepitelial de Pinkus plexiforme, pseudocístico, reticulado, superficial e tricoepitelial, predominando o adenóide (28,3%). A média de crescimento foi em 2/3 da derme reticular (32,4%), e os tumores que mais se aprofundaram mostraram fibroplasia intensa. Houve concomitância de vários tipos celulares em um mesmo tumor e o pigmento melânico esteve mais presente nos tricoepitelioides. CONCLUSÃO: A fundamental importância da caracterização clínica e anatomopatológica dos carcinomas basocelulares destes serviços, sem diferenças muito significativas para os grupos e atenção para definições comportamentais e proposições ao relatório histopatológico.<br>BACKGROUND: A retrospective and anatomopathological study was performed on 704 basal carcinomas of 623 patients, diagnosed from 1991 to 1996, at the Dermatopathology section of the Dermatology Clinic of the Hospital das Clinicas, UFPE and at a private dermatopathology laboratory in the city of Recife. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the clinical and anatomopathological aspects of the basal cell carcinomas diagnosed by the two services of Pernambuco region. METHODS: For the clinical study, the data were collected from the patient files and for the anatomopathological, macro and microscopic study a revision was made of the histological specimens. For determination of vertical growth, methods were used based on Clark and Breslow's histoprognostic techniques applied to malignant melanoma. RESULTS: Clinical: the highest incidence was in the feminine sex (55.7%) and in the 55 to 72-year-old age group. Disease duration was highly variable, ranging from one month to 40 years, and the head was the most frequent topographical area (73.8%), mainly nasal (21.1%) and zygomatic (18.5%). The nodular pigmented form (47.4%) was found most frequently and the size of the lesions did not depend on the disease duration. Histologically the patterns considered based only on the parenchymal arrangements, were the adenoid, compact, plexiform Pinkus fibroepithelioma, pseudocystic, reticulated, superficial and trichoepithelioid, though predominantly the adenoid form (28.3%). The mean growth involved 2/3 of the reticular dermis (32.4%), and the deepest tumors presented intense fibroplasia. There was concomitance of several cellular types within a single tumor and melanin pigment was found mostly in the trichoepithelioid type. CONCLUSION: The clinical and anatomopathological characterization of the basal cell carcinomas is of fundamental importance at these services, where there is no major difference between groups, calling attention to behavioral definitions and propositions for the histopathological report of these tumors