Cyntia Ferreira Gomes Viana

Analgesic and antiinflammatory activities of Ageratum conyzoides in rats

The water soluble fraction (WSF) obtained from a hydroalcohol extract of A. conyzoides, a medicinal plant used in Brazilian folk medicine, was evaluated for possible analgesic and antiinflammatory activities. It was demonstrated that WSF (20–50 mg/kg; i.p.) treatment reduced the articular incapacitation induced by carrageenin (300 μg) in rats. In this model, naloxone (2 mg/kg) blocked the analgesic action of morphine (2 mg/kg) but did not change the WSF antinociceptive effect. It suggests that endogenous opioids are not involved in the WSF antinociceptive effect. The neutrophil migration induced by carrageenin (300 μg) injection into rat peritoneal cavities and into 6‐day‐old subcutaneous air‐pouches was significantly inhibited (p <0.05) by WSF pre‐treatment (30 and 50 mg/kg; s.c.). At the same dose WSF also inhibited (p <0.05) the carrageenin (400 μg/paw)‐induced oedema, but failed to modify the oedema induced by dextran (100 μg/paw). Furthermore, the increase in the cutaneous vascular permeability induced by the potent leukocyte chemotactic agent LTB4 (39 ng co‐injected with 500 ng iloprost, i.d.) was significantly blocked by WSF (30 mg/kg; i.p.). However, in the same dose WSF caused a 2‐fold increase in the vascular permeability induced by histamine (10 μg), a direct vasoactive mediator. These results suggest that WSF can inhibit the inflammatory reactions induced by neutrophil mobilizing stimuli.

Orthotopic Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: One Center's Experience in the Northeast of Brazil

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer in the world and the third leading cause of cancer-related death. In this study, we sought to assess the outcome of patients with HCC who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in a center in the northeast of Brazil. Between May 2002 and July 2008, 294 OLTs were performed at our center. In 45 patients, HCC was confirmed by histological examination of the explant. Patients were predominantly men of ages ranging from 14-67 years. Hepatitis C virus was involved in 55.4% of the cases. Alpha fetoprotein (AFP) levels were normal in 65.2% of the patients and surpassed 100 ng/mL in only 10.4%. The median waiting time on the list was 10 months. Seventeen patients (37.7%) presented a solitary nodule, 19 (42.2%) had 2 or 3 nodules, and 9 patients (20%) had more than 3 nodules. The maximal diameter of the largest tumor was <3 cm in 26 patients (57.7%) and exceeded 5 cm in 6 patients (13.3%). Ten tumors were well differentiated, 32 were moderately differentiated, and 3 were poorly differentiated. Eleven tumors showed microvascular invasion. There have been 4 tumor recurrences. There was an association between microvascular invasion and tumor recurrence with a statistically significant relative risk. In conclusion, OLT is an excellent option for patients with HCC. The recurrence rate was low (<10%). However, we believe that more prospective studies are needed about OLT beyond the Milan criteria because our study suggested that microvascular invasion may be more important than tumor size or number.

Synchronous hepatocellular carcinoma and renal cell carcinoma in a liver transplant recipient: a case report.

A 52-year-old male with liver cirrhosis secondary to hepatitis virus C, Child-Pugh score of C10, and Model for End-stage Liver Disease score of 20 was listed for liver transplant. During the pretransplant management, an abdominal computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, Fig. 1) showed a 2.7 2.2 cm mass in the liver and a 1.7 1.2 cm tumor in the right kidney. The liver mass on the CT was hyperdense with the liver parenchyma in the early arterial phase of contrast enhancement and hypodense in the portal phase; on the MRI, on T1-weighted sequences, it was hypointense to the liver and, on T2weighted, it was hyperintense, suggesting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The renal tumor on the CT and was a solitary solid lesion with contrast enhancement during the arterial phase; on the MRI, on T2-weighted images, it was hyperintense to the liver; on T1-weighted, it was hypointense, with a high degree of confidence in diagnosing renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Being a Child-Pugh C patient, he had a prohibitive risk to perform either a biopsy of the kidney tumor or its resection. Based on the fact that renal metastasis from a primary hepatocellular carcinoma is a extremely rare event (1), on the initial stage of both tumors and finally on the MRI and CT findings, we considered the possibility of two synchronous tumors and decided not to contraindicate the liver transplant. During the liver transplantation procedure, after the recipient’s hepatectomy, we performed a partial nephrectomy to resect the kidney mass. Then, the donor liver was implanted. Histopathological analysis confirmed a synchronous HCC and RCC. He showed a good recovery and left the hospital 7 days after the transplant. His immunosuppression regimen was based on tacrolimus and prednisone. After a 12-month followup, patient is alive with good graft function and has no clinical or CT sign of any other tumor. Synchronous early primary cancers are rare. One study showed an incidence of 3.7% of synchronous cancers related to RCC. The most common sites involved were prostate, bladder, and lung. The occurrence of synchronous RCC and HCC is extremely rare (2). There is just one case of synchronous HCC and RCC resected simultaneously during a liver transplantation procedure, recently published on the literature (3). The prognosis of RCC is not likely to be changed by immunosuppression. However, a 5-year follow-up is necessary to confirm the results. The possibility of a synchronous tumor should be considered in cirrhotic patients with HCC. Jose Huygens Parente Garcia Gustavo Rego Coelho Fernanda Paula Cavalcante Jose Telmo Valenca Junior Ivelise Regina Canito Brasil Gleydson Cesar-Borges Paulo Everton Garcia Costa Cyntia Ferreira Gomes Viana Tarciso Daniel Santos Rocha Joao Batista Marinho Vasconcelos Centro de Transplante de Figado do Ceara Hospital Universitario Walter Cantidio Fortaleza, Brazil

Liver transplantation for acute liver failure: a 5 years experience

BACKGROUND Fulminant hepatic failure carries a high morbidity and mortality. Liver transplantation has markedly improved the prognosis of patients with fulminant hepatic failure. AIM To evaluate the outcome of 20 patients with acute liver failure and indication for liver transplantation. METHODS A retrospective review of 20 patients with acute liver failure and indication for liver transplantation was performed. Patients were divided into two groups: group A with 12 patients who underwent liver transplantation and group B with 8 patients who did not receive liver transplantation. Both groups were analyzed according to age, sex, ABO blood type, etiology of acute liver failure, time on list until transplantation or death, and survival rates. Group A patients were additionally analyzed according to preoperative INR, AST, and ALT peak values and MELD (Model for End-stage Liver Disease) scores; intraoperative red blood cells and plasma transfusion and cold ischemia time; postoperative lenght of intensive care unit and hospital stay, and needed for dialysis. RESULTS Group A: there were four men and eight women with an average age of 24.6 years. The average liver waiting time period was 3.4 days and MELD score 36. Seven patients are alive with good hepatic function at a medium follow-up of 26.2 months. The actuarial survival rate was 65.2% at 1 year. Group B: There were two men and six women with an average age of 30.9 years. The mean waiting time on list until death was 7.4 days. All patients died while waiting for a liver donor. CONCLUSION Despite the improvements in intensive care management, most patients with acute liver failure and indication for liver transplantation ca not survive long without transplant. Liver transplantation is potentially the only curative modality and has markedly improved the prognosis of those patients.

Exercise Capacity Impairment Can Predict Postoperative Pulmonary Complications after Liver Transplantation

Background: Postoperative respiratory complications (PRCs) are common after liver transplantation (LT) and contribute significantly to the related morbidity and mortality. Objective: The aim of this paper was to determine the incidence of PRCs after LT and the value of simple exercise capacity measures as independent predictors of PRCs. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of consecutive adults submitted to LT at a University Hospital in Fortaleza Brazil from March 2013 to March 2015. At baseline, exercise capacity was assessed with the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and the 6-minute step test (6MST), lung function was tested by spirometry, and respiratory muscle strength was measured by maximal respiratory pressure. Additional relevant pre- and intraoperative data were collected through interview and chart review, and their association with the incidence of PRCs was evaluated. Results: The study included 100 subjects, 44% of whom presented at least 1 of the PRCs. In the univariate analysis, poor 6MST and 6MWT results and a longer preoperative cold ischemia time were associated with PRCs. The logistic regression analysis showed that PRCs were less likely to occur when preoperative walking distances were longer: the odds ratio (95% CI) was reduced to 0.589 (0.357-0.971) for each 50 m walked (p = 0.03). Likewise, PRCs were more likely to occur in patients with longer preoperative cold ischemia times: the odds ratio (95% CI) increased to 1.008 (1.002-1.015) for each minute (p = 0.01). Conclusion: The incidence of PRCs is high in LT patients. A prolonged cold ischemia time and preoperative 6MWT results were independent predictors of PRCs in this patient population.

Exercise Capacity and Respiratory Profile in Patients after Orthopedic Liver Transplantation: a Follow-up Study

INTRODUCTION We sought to describe: 1) The influence of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) on exercise capacity, pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength after surgery, 2) The relationship between exercise capacity and symptoms of anxiety and depression. MATERIAL AND METHODS This is a prospective follow up study conducted with patients submitted to OLT. All patients were assessed before and 1 month after surgery through measurements: six minute walk test (6MWT), 6 min step test (6MST) and HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). FEV1% (forced expiratory volume), maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) were measured in the pre-operative and on 1st, 3rd, 5th day and 1 month after surgery. RESULTS In 77 patients, 6MWD improved 20.2 m (95%CI 8.1-32.3) and 6MST improved 7.8 steps after surgery (95%CI 3.9-11.6). Change in 6 MWD and 6 MST did not correlated with change HADS. The FEV1% at each time point were 88.8 ± 21.3 before surgery, 32.9 ± 9.9 on 1st day, 39.6 ± 11.5 on 3rd day, 46 ± 12.1 on 5th day and 86.6 ± 21.1 one month after surgery. MIP and MEP values at each time point were -67.4 ± 23.2 and 79.7 ± 26 before surgery, -30.8 ± 12.3 and 36.4 ± 15.4 on 1st day, -38.6 ± 14.1 and 43.8 ± 17 on 3rd day, -45.8 ± 15.9 and 49.7 ± 18.7 on 5th day and -67.1 ± 29.4 and 80.9 ± 23.9 one month after surgery. CONCLUSION Exercise capacity was modestly increased after OLT without any correlation with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength decreased immediately after liver transplantation, and progressively recovered, returning to baseline values after 1 month.INTRODUCTION We sought to describe: 1) The influence of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) on exercise capacity, pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength after surgery, 2) The relationship between exercise capacity and symptoms of anxiety and depression. MATERIAL AND METHODS This is a prospective follow up study conducted with patients submitted to OLT. All patients were assessed before and 1 month after surgery through measurements: six minute walk test (6MWT), 6 min step test (6MST) and HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). FEV1% (forced expiratory volume), maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) were measured in the pre-operative and on 1st, 3rd, 5th day and 1 month after surgery. RESULTS In 77 patients , 6MWD improved 20.2 m (95%CI 8.1-32.3) and 6MST improved 7.8 steps after surgery (95%CI 3.9-11.6). Change in 6 MWD and 6 MST did not correlated with change HADS. The FEV1% at each time point were 88.8 ± 21.3 before surgery, 32.9 ± 9.9 on 1st day, 39.6 ± 11.5 on 3rd day, 46 ± 12.1 on 5th day and 86.6 ± 21.1 one month after surgery. MIP and MEP values at each time point were -67.4 ± 23.2 and 79.7 ± 26 before surgery, -30.8 ± 12.3 and 36.4 ± 15.4 on 1st day, -38.6 ± 14.1 and 43.8 ± 17 on 3rd day, -45.8 ± 15.9 and 49.7 ± 18.7 on 5th day and -67.1 ± 29.4 and 80.9 ± 23.9 one month after surgery. CONCLUSION Exercise capacity was modestly increased after OLT without any correlation with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength decreased immediately after liver transplantation, and progressively recovered, returning to baseline values after 1 month.

PEGYLATED INTERFERON AND RIBAVIRIN FOR TREATMENT OF RECURRENT HEPATITIS C AFTER LIVER TRANSPLANTATION: a single-liver transplant center experience in Brazil.

BACKGROUND Treatment of hepatitis C virus infection in post-transplantation patients is a challenge due to poor tolerance and low success rates. OBJECTIVE To determine the response rate to pegylated interferon and ribavirin in post-liver transplant patients with hepatitis C recurrence. METHODS Between 18 May 2002 and 18 December 2011, 601 patients underwent liver transplantation at our service (Hospital Universitário Walter Cantídio, University of Ceará), 176 (29.2%) of whom were hepatitis C virus positive. Forty received antiviral therapy and were included in this cohort study. Twenty-eight (70%) completed the treatment protocol, which consisted of pegylated interferon and ribavirin for 48 weeks. RESULTS The sustained virological response rate was 55% according to intention-to-treat analysis. Recipient age and exposure to antiviral drugs prior to liver transplantation were associated with sustained virological response in the multivariate analysis. Patients were followed for 57 months on the average. Survival at 1 and 5 years was 100% in responders, versus 100% and 78%, respectively, in non-responders. CONCLUSION Sustained virological response rates were satisfactory in our series of liver transplantation patients, and decreased with increasing recipient age. Non-exposure to antiviral drugs prior to liver transplantation was positively associated with sustained virological response. The overall survival of responders and non-responders was similar.