Catastrophic Kawasaki disease unresponsive to IVIG in a 3-month-old infant : a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge

The present report describes the severe evolution of Kawasaki disease in a three-month-old infant. The ailment was initially atypical in its presentation, with the patient exhibiting only persistent fever in association with a progressive lethargy and maculopapular rash on the face, trunk and limbs erroneously diagnosed as roseola infantum. On the 10th day of the condition, mainly due to the unexplained persistence of fever, the infant was admitted to a local hospital. The typical features of KD appeared only on the 14th day of illness with the relapse of the maculopapular rash in association with non-purulent conjunctivitis; dry, reddish and fissured lips; tongue with reddish and hypertrophic papillae; erythema and edema of the palms and soles. During the following days, the ailment rapidly evolved to a catastrophic clinical picture characterized by generalized vasculitis, splenic infarction, pulmonary thrombosis, giant right and left coronary aneurysms, dilatation of common and internal iliac arteries and progressive ischemia of the distal third of the feet resulting in necrotic lesions of both halluces. Appropriate therapy was initiated, but repeated administration of intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIG) followed by three days of administration of methylprednisolone did not abate the intense inflammatory activity. The remission of inflammation and regression of vascular lesions were only achieved during the following five weeks after the introduction of methotrexate associated with etanercept. The report of this case aims to draw attention to severe forms of KD that exhibit an unfavorable evolution and can be extremely refractory to the conventional therapy

Prospective study of Kawasaki Disease complications : review of 115 cases

Objetivo: Chamar a atenção para as complicações, que podem surgir em qualquer fase da Doença de Kawasaki (DK), para os fatores de risco que contribuem para o parecimento dessas complicações e para as possíveis sequelas da doença, sejam elas transitórias ou permanentes. Métodos: Estudo prospectivo (coorte clínica) realizado entre abril de 2002 e abril de 2009 de 115 pacientes com DK internados no serviço de Reumatologia Pediátrica do Hospital Geral do Distrito Federal. Todos os pacientes foram sequencialmente avaliados com exames clínicos e laboratoriais, ecocardiogramas com Doppler, imitanciometria, potenciais evocados auditivos, avaliação psicológica, exame oftalmológico e, em um paciente com coreia, angiorressonância magnética cerebral. Em todos os pacientes foram aplicados questionários avaliando a possível presença de dificuldades cognitivas, emocionais, comportamentais e sociais. Resultados: Vinte e cinco pacientes (21,7%) apresentaram aneurismas de coronárias. Trinta e oito pacientes (33%) apresentaram perda auditiva neurossensorial durante a doença aguda e subaguda, e 13 pacientes (11,3%) mantiveram a perda auditiva seis meses após a primeira avaliação. Outras complicações observadas foram: paralisia facial em um paciente (0,9%), ataxia na fase aguda e subaguda em 11 pacientes (9,5%), complicações oftalmológicas em 15 pacientes (13,2%), constatando-se uveíte em 13, edema de papila em um paciente e hemorragia conjuntival em outro. Um paciente apresentou coreia (0,9%) sendo que a angioressonância magnética evidenciou alterações compatíveis com isquemia cerebral. Em um paciente constatou-se a presença de aneurisma de aorta torácica (0,9%), e outro apresentou vasculite necrosante que evoluiu com gangrena periférica e perda da ponta da língua (0,9%). Alterações de comportamento durante a convalescença (20%) foi observada em 23 crianças. Conclusão: A DK pode evoluir com complicações diversas, mesmo meses após a fase aguda da doença, eventualmente resultando em sequelas permanentes. Quanto mais precoce forem o diagnóstico e a intervenção terapêutica com a administração de IgG IV, menor será a ocorrência de complicações. Presença de trombocitose, anemia e de atividade inflamatória elevada e por tempo prolongado são fatores de risco para o aparecimento de complicações.Objective: To draw attention to complications that might arise in any Kawasaki disease (KD) stage, risk factors contributing to the onset of complications and possible transient or permanent disease sequelae. Methods: Prospective study (clinical cohort) conducted between April 2002 and April 2009 of 115 patients with KD admitted to the Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic of the General Hospital of the Federal District, Brazil. All patients were sequentially assessed with clinical and laboratory examinations, Doppler echocardiography, imitanciometry, auditory evoked potentials, psychological evaluation, ophthalmologic examination and, in one patient with chorea, cerebral magnetic resonance angiography. In all patients, a questionnaire assessing the possible presence of cognitive, emotional, behavioral and social disorders was applied. Results: Twenty-five patients (21.7%) had coronary aneurisms. Thirty-eight patients (33%) had a sensorineural auditory loss during the acute and subacute phases of the disease and 13 patients (11.3%) maintained the auditory loss six months after the first assessment. Other complications observed were as follows: facial palsy in one patient (0.9%), ataxia in acute and subacute phases in 11 (9.5%); 15 patients had ophthalmologic complications (13.2%), with uveitis in 13, papilledema in one patient, and conjunctival hemorrhage in another patient. One patient experienced chorea (0.9%), with a magnetic resonance angiography showing changes consistent with cerebral ischemia. In one patient, a thoracic aorta aneurism was found (0.9%) and another patient had a necrotizing vasculitis progressing to peripheral gangrene and tongue tip loss (0.9%). Behavioral changes over convalescence were observed in 23 children. Conclusion: KD may progress with several complications even within months of the disease acute phase, eventually resulting in permanent sequelae. The earlier the diagnosis and therapeutic intervention with IV IgG administration are, the lower will be the occurrence of complications; the presence of thrombocytosis, anemia and elevated and extended inflammatory activity are risk factors for complication arising

Guidelines for the management and treatment of periodic fever syndromes Cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (cryopyrinopathies – CAPS)

AbstractObjectiveTo establish guidelines based on cientific evidences for the management of cryopyrin associated periodic syndromes.Description of the evidence collection methodThe Guideline was prepared from 4 clinical questions that were structured through PICO (Patient, Intervention or indicator, Comparison and Outcome), to search in key primary scientific information databases. After defining the potential studies to support the recommendations, these were graduated considering their strength of evidence and grade of recommendation.Results1215 articles were retrieved and evaluated by title and abstract; from these, 42 articles were selected to support the recommendations.Recommendations1. The diagnosis of CAPS is based on clinical history and clinical manifestations, and later confirmed by genetic study. CAPS may manifest itself in three phenotypes: FCAS (mild form), MWS (intermediate form) and CINCA (severe form). Neurological, ophthalmic, otorhinolaryngological and radiological assessments may be highly valuable in distinguishing between syndromes; 2. The genetic diagnosis with NLRP3 gene analysis must be conducted in suspected cases of CAPS, i.e., individuals presenting before 20 years of age, recurrent episodes of inflammation expressed by a mild fever and urticaria; 3. Laboratory abnormalities include leukocytosis and elevated serum levels of inflammatory proteins; and 4. Targeted therapies directed against interleukin-1 lead to rapid remission of symptoms in most patients. However, there are important limitations on the long-term safety. None of the three anti-IL-1β inhibitors prevents progression of bone lesions

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear un derstanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5–7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8–11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world’s most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepre sented in biodiversity databases.13–15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may elim inate pieces of the Amazon’s biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological com munities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple or ganism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region’s vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most ne glected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lostinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5,6,7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8,9,10,11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases.13,14,15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost

Estudo da prevalência da perda auditiva neurossensorial como complicação da Doença de Kawasaki

Tese (doutorado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, 2008.Introdução: A doença de Kawasaki (DK) é uma vasculite sistêmica de etiologia ainda desconhecida cuja principal complicação é a arterite coronariana. Casos de perda auditiva neurossensorial também são descritos como complicação desta afecção. Objetivos: Avaliar em pacientes com DK (a) a prevalência da perda auditiva neurossensorial (transitória ou definitiva), e determinar a estrutura funcional responsável pelo acometimento; (b) relacionar estes achados com a prevalência das complicações cardíacas, com o uso da gamaglobulina na fase aguda e subaguda, e com os resultados dos exames laboratoriais. Método: Estudo prospectivo (coorte clínica) de 40 pacientes com idade entre dois meses e 11 anos com DK entre 2005 e 2007. Os pacientes foram avaliados por imitanciometria e por Potenciais Evocados Auditivos (BERA-Brainstem Evikaded Responses Audiometry) realizado dentro dos primeiros 30 dias de doença, e seis meses depois do início da febre. Teste de emissões otoacústicas foi realizado nos pacientes que ainda permaneciam com deficiência auditiva. Todos os pacientes foram tratados com gamaglobulina EV e acompanhados com ecocardiogramas com doppler, hemogramas completos e provas de atividades inflamatórias. Resultados: Dos 40 pacientes, 22 (55%) apresentaram deficiência auditiva nos 30 primeiros dias e 12 pacientes (30%) continuaram com perda auditiva seis meses depois. Dos 12 pacientes com perda auditiva após os seis meses, alteração coclear foi observada em um e comprometimento do nervo acústico em 11 pacientes. Dez pacientes (25%) apresentaram aneurisma de coronária. A trombocitose (plaquetas >500.000) esteve presente em 10 (83,3%) dos pacientes que apresentaram perda auditiva mantida (na fase aguda e após seis meses). A anemia (Hb 500,000) was present in 10 (83.3%) patients who had hearing loss (in the acute phase and after six months). Anemia (Hb <10mg/dl) was present in eight (66%) of these patients. High VHS (over 50mm) for longer than 30 days was found in 100% of patients with maintained hearing loss. Conclusion: Within the 30 days and after six months of evolution, the sensorineural hearing loss was more prevalent than coronary complications. The bilateral hearing involvement was prevalent. In 11 patients (90.1%), the involvement was in the acoustic nerve. The exact chi-square test revealed association between (a) the use of gammaglobulin after acute phase and neurossensorial hearing loss (p=0,0097), (b) thrombocytosis and maintained hearing loss (p=0.039), (c) anemia and maintained hearing loss (p<0.046), (d) prolonged inflammatory activity and maintained hearing loss (p<0.001)