Sinusite e asma

The association between sinusitis and asthma has been studied for many years. It is well known that sinusitis and asthma coexist in many patients. Moreover, sinus disease seems to be an aggravating factor for asthma, and several authors relate control of asthma with the effective treatment of concomitant sinusitis. However, thus far, the cause-and-effect relationship remains unclear. Many theories have been proposed to explain this association, mainly the nasal-sinusbronchial reflex, the pharyngeal aspiration, and the activation of inflammatory mediators. The objective of this article is to review the most important theories that correlate sinus disease and asthma, and to analyze the existence of a link between these entities.A associação entre sinusite e asma tem sido estudada por muitos anos. Sabe-se que a sinusite e a asma coexistem em muitos pacientes. Além disso, a afecção dosseios da face parece ser um fator agravante para a asma e diversos autores relataram um melhor controle das crises de asma quando uma sinusite concomitante foiefetivamente tratada. Entretanto, até o momento, a relação causa-efeito permanece incerta. Muitas teorias têm sido propostas para explicar esta associação,principalmente o reflexo naso-sinuoso-brônquico, a aspiração faríngea e a ativação de mediadores inflamatórios. O objetivo deste artigo é revisar as principais teorias que correlacionam as doenças dos seios paranasais à asma, analisando a existência de um vínculo entre estas duas entidades

Sinusitis and asthma

A associação entre sinusite e asma tem sido estudada por muitos anos. Sabe-se que a sinusite e a asma coexistem em muitos pacientes. Além disso, a afecção dos seios da face parece ser um fator agravante para a asma e diversos autores relataram um melhor controle das crises de asma quando uma sinusite concomitante foi efetivamente tratada. Entretanto, até o momento, a relação causa-efeito permanece incerta. Muitas teorias têm sido propostas para explicar esta associação, principalmente o reflexo naso-sinuoso-brônquico, a aspiração faríngea e a ativação de mediadores inflamatórios. O objetivo deste artigo é revisar as principais teorias que correlacionam as doenças dos seios paranasais à asma, analisando a existência de um vínculo entre estas duas entidades.The association between sinusitis and asthma has been studied for many years. It is well known that sinusitis and asthma coexist in many patients. Moreover, sinus disease seems to be an aggravating factor for asthma, and several authors relate control of asthma with the effective treatment of concomitant sinusitis. However, thus far, the cause-and-effect relationship remains unclear. Many theories have been proposed to explain this association, mainly the nasal-sinusbronchial reflex, the pharyngeal aspiration, and the activation of inflammatory mediators. The objective of this article is to review the most important theories that correlate sinus disease and asthma, and to analyze the existence of a link between these entities

Increasing diagnostic effectiveness of thyroid nodule evaluation by implementation of cell block preparation in routine US-FNA analysis

Objective: Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (US-FNA) biopsy has proven to be an accurate and efficient tool in thyroid nodule evaluation. We evaluated whether cell block adds to the diagnostic accuracy of US-FNA. Subjects and methods: Three hundred twenty-eight consecutive patients underwent US-FNA, cytology and cell block evaluation. Six slides were prepared for each patient and stained by Papanicolaou and Giemsa techniques. The residual hemorrhagic aspirate in the syringe and needle was fixed in 10% formalin and paraffin-embedded (cell block). The histological sections were examined as a complementary diagnostic tool to US-FNA. Results: The study population comprised 89% females and the mean age was 57.4 ± 13.7 years. The mean nodule size was 2.3 ± 1.2 cm. US-FNA cytological results were as follows: Bethesda I, 17.1% (n = 56); Bethesda II, 61.6% (n = 202); Bethesda III, 9.5% (n = 31); Bethesda IV, 5.8% (n = 19); Bethesda V, 2.4% (n = 8), and Bethesda VI, 3.6% (n = 12). Cell blocks were obtained in 100% of cases and were considered diagnostic in 89.6%. Combined cytological and cell block (cyto-cell block) results were as follows: unsatisfactory, 4.3% (n = 14); benign, 72.6% (n = 238); indeterminate, 11.3% (n = 37); follicular lesion, 5.8% (n = 19); suspicious for malignancy, 2.4% (n = 8), and malignant, 3.6% (n = 12). The sensitivity and specificity for cyto-cell block was 100% and 90%, respectively, and the accuracy was 94%. Cyto-cell block analysis reduced the rate of unsatisfactory samples (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The cyto-cell block interpretation improved the efficiency of US-FNA. This simple, fast and low-cost technique should be used as an adjunctive test in thyroid nodule evaluation

Associação entre apresentação radiológica e tempo decorrido para o diagnóstico da tuberculose pulmonar no serviço de emergência de um hospital universitário

Objective: To evaluate the radiological presentation of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis diagnosed in the emergency department and to investigate its association with the time to diagnosis. Methods: This was a prospective observational study involving patients diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis in the emergency department of a tertiary university hospital in southern Brazil. Chest X-rays taken on admission were evaluated by a radiologist. The various patterns of radiological findings and locations of the lesions were described. The main study outcome was the total time elapsed between the initial radiological examination and the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Results: A total of 78 patients were included in the study. The median time from chest X-ray to diagnosis was 2 days, early and delayed diagnosis being defined as a time to diagnosis < 2 days and ≥ 2 days, respectively. Sputum smear positivity was associated with early diagnosis (p = 0.005), and positive culture was associated with delayed diagnosis (p = 0.005). Early diagnosis was associated with the presence of sputum (p = 0.03), weight loss (p = 0.047), cavitation (p = 0.001), and consolidation (p = 0.003). Pulmonary cavitation was found to be an independent predictor of early diagnosis (OR = 3.50; p = 0.028). Conclusions: There is a need for tuberculosis-specific protocols in emergency departments, not only to avoid delays in diagnosis and treatment but also to modify the transmission dynamics of the disease.Objetivo: Avaliar a apresentação radiológica de pacientes com tuberculose pulmonar diagnosticada no serviço de emergência e investigar sua associação com o tempo para o diagnóstico. Métodos: Estudo observacional prospectivo envolvendo pacientes diagnosticados com tuberculose pulmonar no serviço de emergência de um hospital universitário terciário no sul do Brasil. As radiografias de tórax realizadas na admissão foram avaliadas por um radiologista. Foram descritos os diferentes padrões de achados radiológicos e as localizações das lesões. O desfecho principal do estudo foi o tempo total decorrido entre o exame radiológico inicial e o diagnóstico de tuberculose. Resultados: Um total de 78 pacientes foi incluído no estudo. A mediana de tempo entre a radiografia de tórax e o diagnóstico foi de 2 dias, sendo os diagnósticos precoce e tardio definidos como tempo para o diagnóstico < 2 dias e ≥ 2 dias, respectivamente. A positividade da baciloscopia de escarro associou-se ao diagnóstico precoce (p = 0,005), e a cultura positiva associou-se ao diagnóstico tardio (p = 0,005). O diagnóstico precoce associou-se à presença de escarro (p = 0,03), perda de peso (p = 0,047), cavitação (p = 0,001) e consolidação (p = 0,003). A cavitação pulmonar foi um preditor independente de diagnóstico precoce (OR = 3,50; p = 0,028). Conclusões: Há necessidade de protocolos específicos para tuberculose nos serviços de emergência, não apenas para evitar atrasos no diagnóstico e no tratamento, mas também para modificar a dinâmica de transmissão da doença