The Importance of C4d in Biopsies of Kidney Transplant Recipients

Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) is highly detrimental to the prolonged survival of transplanted kidneys. C4d has been regarded as a footprint of AMR tissue damage, and the introduction of C4d staining in daily clinical practice aroused an ever-increasing interest in the role of antibody-mediated mechanisms in allograft rejection. Despite the general acceptance of the usefulness of C4d in the identification of acute AMR, the data for C4d staining in chronic AMR is variable. The presence of C4d in the majority of the biopsies with features of chronic antibody-mediated rejection is reported, but this rejection without C4d staining is observed as well, suggesting that C4d is specific but not sensitive. Further studies on AMR with positive C4d staining in biopsy specimens are really important, as well as the study of novel routine markers that may participate in the pathogenesis of this process

Pulmonary Innate Immune Response and Melatonin Receptors in the Perinatal Stress

Objective. To analyze the cytokines of the innate immune pulmonary response and the capacity for local response to melatonin according to the perinatal stress. Methods. 49 cases of pediatric autopsies were evaluated, divided according to cause of death, perinatal stress, gestational age, and birth weight. The percentages of IL-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-1β, TNF-α, and melatonin receptor were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Results. The IL-6 expression was higher in the children showing chronic stress, anoxia, and infection. The IL-6 expression showed a progressive increase according to the relation between weight and GA. There was no significant difference in the expression of IL-1β and TNF-α. The CRP expression was higher in the cases showing chronic stress and premature cases. The expression of melatonin receptors was significantly higher in the cases showing chronic stress, being more evident in the cases showing infection. Conclusion. The cause of death and the type of stress influence the expression in situ of melatonin and cytokines of the innate immune pulmonary response. The evaluation of IL-6 and CRP may contribute to the understanding of the evolution of neonates with chronic stress. The greater sensitivity of the lung to melatonin in these cases may indicate an attempt at controlling the immunological response, in an attempt to diminish the harmful effects of stress

Correlation of lifetime progress of atherosclerosis and morphologic markers of severity in humans: new tools for a more sensitive evaluation

OBJECTIVES: To describe the morphological features of atherosclerosis in the aortas of autopsied patients (ranging from young adults to the elderly), thus providing new tools for a more sensitive morphological evaluation. METHOD: We collected 141 aorta samples. We assessed the macroscopic degree of atherosclerosis, thickness of the intima and media, lipid and collagen depositions in the intima, and the infiltration of mast cells into the layers of the aorta. We correlated the findings with gender, age, race and cause of death. RESULTS: The degree of atherosclerosis was significantly higher in the elderly. The aorta was thicker in the elderly and in cases with a cardiovascular cause of death. The thickness of the intima was significantly greater in the elderly, in males and in cases with a cardiovascular cause of death. The lipid content in the intima of the aorta was significantly higher in Caucasians. Older people and men had a significantly higher number of mast cells. CONCLUSION: A macroscopic evaluation is a good indicator of the severity of atherosclerosis, but a more detailed analysis, namely evaluating the thickness of the layers of the aorta and the number of mast cells, may further elucidate the changes in the constituents of this vessel

DESCRIÇÃO DA CAPACIDADE FUNCIONAL DE IDOSOS INSTITUCIONALIZADOS

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo descrever a capacidade funcional dos idosos residentes no asilo São Vicente de Paula, Uberaba-MG. É um estudo transversal, realizado entre os anos de 2005 e 2006, com avaliação de um total de dezenove prontuários foram analisados como instrumento de medida para as atividades de vida diária (AVD), utilizando-se a escala de Spirduso para a coleta de dados. As faixas etárias mais freqüentes foram de 60-70 anos e 70-80 anos, sendo 58,0% do sexo feminino e 42,0% do sexo masculino. Apresentaram dependência para lavar e passar roupas, bem como para realizar atividades de limpeza de casa 73,7% dos idosos asilados, sendo de 84,2% o índice de dependência para os cuidados com os pés e unhas, independente do gênero e da faixa etária. Pelos resultados obtidos, deve-se ressaltar a importância do desenvolvimento de programas terapêuticos que priorizem o cuidado com as enfermidades e programas de intervenção, a fim de prevenir e melhorar a capacidade funcional, além de permitir uma melhor qualidade devida deste coletivo

Influence of Gender on Cardiac and Encephalic Inflammation in the Elderly with Cysticercosis: A Case Control Study

Background. The present study explores the influence of the host’s age and gender upon the inflammatory infiltrate. We aimed to quantify the inflammatory infiltrate caused by cysticercosis, which is related to aging, in the heart and in the encephalon. Methods. 75 autopsy protocols with cysticercosis diagnosis from department of pathology at a university hospital from 1970 to 2008 were reviewed. Two groups were formed: elderly with cysticercosis and nonelderly with cysticercosis. We used KS-300 (Kontron-Zeiss) software for morphometric analysis of the inflammation. Results. The elderly had an average of 3.1±2.5 cysticerci, whereas the non-elderly had 2.7±3.8 parasites. The non-elderly group with cysticercosis had significantly more inflammation, both cardiac and encephalic, than the elderly group. The elderly females with cysticercosis had more cardiac and encephalic inflammation. Conclusions. In this study, we showed that the non-elderly had significantly more cardiac and encephalic inflammation than the elderly, and that such inflammatory infiltrate decreases with age and depends upon the evolutionary stage of the cysticercus. Furthermore, there are differences concerning gender in the intensity of the inflammatory response due to cysticerci in the heart and brain parenchyma during senescence. Even during this period, women continue to have a more intense response to the parasitosis

Review Article Renal Biopsy: Use of Biomarkers as a Tool for the Diagnosis of Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a glomerulopathy associated with nephrotic syndrome and podocyte injury. FSGS occurs both in children and adults and it is considered the main idiopathic nephrotic syndrome nowadays. It is extremely difficult to establish a morphological diagnosis, since some biopsies lack a considerable quantifiable number of sclerotic glomeruli, given their focal aspect and the fact that FSGS occurs in less than half of the glomeruli. Therefore, many biological molecules have been evaluated as potential markers that would enhance the diagnosis of FSGS. Some of these molecules and receptors are associated with the pathogenesis of FSGS and have potential use in diagnosis

Caracterização demográfica e morfométrica das síndromes hipertensivas da gestação

As Síndromes Hipertensivas da Gestação (SHG) possuem intensidade variável de acordo com seu tipo. Com este estudo objetivou-se descrever as características demográficas materno- fetais e as alterações morfométricas placentárias nos diferentes tipos de SHG, pela análise retrospectiva dos prontuários de pacientes hipertensas, com placentas avaliadas morfologicamente, processadas para imunohistoquímica utilizando anticorpo monoclonal anti-human CD31 e analisadas morfometricamente. Os resultados demonstraram que, entre as SHG, os grupos com Hipertensão Crônica (HC) e Pré-eclâmpsia sobreposta à Hipertensão Crônica (PSHC) apresentaram idade materna superior (p=0,017). A freqüência das SHG foi superior entre as multíparas. Menor idade gestacional, menores índices de Apgar e pesos placentários inferiores ao esperado para a população (p<0,05) foram observados nos casos com Pré-eclâmpsia (PE) e PSHC. Não houve diferença no número de vasos das vilosidades tronco placentárias. Nas demais, houve aumento nos casos com PE e Hipertensão Gestacional (HGE) e redução nos casos com PSHC. A importância do estudo consiste na descrição demográfica e morfológica nas SHG, visando melhorar o atendimento obstétrico e a compreensão dos diferentes tipos de SHG. A gravidade do quadro clínico das SHG tem relação com maiores intercorrências materno-fetais e com alterações no padrão vascular placentário

A etiopatogênese do processo de Restrição de Crescimento Intra-Uterino: um estudo bibliográfico

Revisão bibliográfica, realizada junto aos bancos de dados MEDLINE, SciELO,  ScienceDirect e LILACS, com o objetivo de identificar a produção científica na área de saúde sobre os principais fatores envolvidos na etiopatogênese do processo de Restrição de Crescimento Intra-Uterino (RCIU), entre os anos de 1990 e 2008. A RCIU constitui a segunda causa de mortalidade perinatal. O recém-nascido com RCIU possui um aumento de duas a dez vezes nas porcentagens habituais de mortalidade perinatal e apresenta complicações associadas à prematuridade. A morbidade está diretamente relacionada às alterações metabólicas e imunológicas, desacelerações cardíacas, acidose fetal, baixo Índice de Apgar, hipóxia, hipoglicemia, hipotermia, asfixia, coagulação intravascular disseminada, hemorragia intracraniana e aspiração meconial. A identificação das principais alterações maternas, fetais e neonatais envolvidas no processo de RCIU é de fundamental importância para o planejamento de ações de prevenção e melhora da qualidade da assistência de enfermagem prestada às gestantes no pré-natal, pré-parto, parto e puerpério, bem como ao recém-nascido com RCIU durante o período neonatal. Palavras chave: Enfermagem pediátrica; Gestação; Prematuridade; Retardo do crescimento fetal