Enio Chaves de Oliveira

A retrospective study of histopathological findings in 894 cases of megacolon. What is the relationship between megacolon and colonic cancer

Patients with megaesophagus (ME) have increased prevalence of cancer of the esophagus. In contrast, a higher incidence of colorectal cancer is not observed in patients with megacolon (MC). MC is very common in some regions of Brazil, where it is mainly associated with Chagas disease. We reviewed the pathology records of surgical specimens of all patients submitted for surgical resection of MC in the Hospital das Clínicas of the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto (HC-FMRP), from the University of São Paulo. We found that 894 patients were operated from 1952 until 2001 for MC resection. Mucosal ulcers, hyperplasia and chronic inflammation were frequently found, while polyps were uncommon. No patients with MC presented any type of colonic neoplasm. This observation reinforces the hypothesis that MC has a negative association with cancer of the colon. This seems to contradict the traditional concept of carcinogenesis in the colon, since patients with MC presents important chronic constipation that is thought to cause an increase in risk for colon cancer. MC is also associated with other risk factors for cancer of colon, such as hyperplasia, mucosal ulcers and chronic inflammation. In ME these factors lead to a remarkable increase in cancer risk. The study of mucosal cell proliferation in MC may provide new insights and useful information about the role of constipation in colonic carcinogenesis.

Treatment of postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome and noninfective irritable bowel syndrome with mesalazine

CONTEXT Recent studies support the hypothesis that postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome and some irritable bowel syndrome patients display persistent signs of minor mucosal inflammation. Mesalazine has intestinal anti-inflammatory properties including cyclooxygenase and prostaglandin inhibition. The effects of mesalazine on postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome and noninfective irritable bowel syndrome patients are still unknown. OBJECTIVE To observe the effects of mesalazine on postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome and noninfective irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea patients. METHODS Based on Rome III criteria, 61 irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea patients (18 years old or more) were included in the evaluation. Patients were divided into two groups: postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome group, with 18 patients medicated with mesalazine 800 mg 3 times a day for 30 days; noninfective irritable bowel syndrome group, with 43 patients medicated with mesalazine 800 mg 3 times a day for 30 days. Symptom evaluations at baseline and after treatment were performed by means of a four-point Likert scale including stool frequency, stool form and consistency (Bristol Stool Scale), abdominal pain and distension (maximum score: 16; minimum score: 4). RESULTS Postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome group presented a statistically significant reduction of the total symptom score (P<0.0001). The stool frequency was significantly reduced (P<0.0001), and stool consistency, improved (P<0.0001). Abdominal pain (P<0.0001) and abdominal distension were significantly reduced (P<0.0001). Noninfective irritable bowel syndrome group presented a statistically significant reduction of total symptom score (P<0.0001). Also, the stool frequency was significantly reduced (P<0.0001) and stool consistency, improved (P<0.0001). Abdominal pain (P<0.0001) and abdominal distention were significantly reduced (P<0.0001). There was no statistical difference between postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome group and noninfective irritable bowel syndrome group on total symptom score results at 30th day of therapy with mesalazine 800 mg 3 times a day. (P = 0.13). CONCLUSION Mesalazine reduced key symptoms of postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome and noninfective irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea patients.

Characterization of the presence and distribution of Foxp3(+) cells in chagasic patients with and without megacolon.

Patients with Chagass disease in the chronic phase regularly present with the chagasic megacolon. This form is characterized by inflammation, neuronal destruction, and organ dilatation. Chagasic patients with megacolon always present with inflammatory process near the enteric plexuses of the colon, as previously demonstrated. The aim of this study is to characterize the presence and distribution of Foxp3(+) cells in the muscle layers and neuronal plexuses area of the colon from chagasic patients with and without megacolon. Our results demonstrated that chagasic patients without megacolon presented with an increased concentration of Foxp3(+) cells in all colon layers compared with chagasic patients with megacolon and noninfected individuals. These cells were situated mainly near the blood vessels and rarely were associated with the inflammatory foci. We believe that the presence of Foxp3(+) cells may help to control the inflammatory process through the management of lymphocyte migration and, consequently, prevent neuronal destruction and chagasic megacolon development.

Chagasic megacolon: enteric neurons and related structures

Abstract Megacolon, the irreversible dilation of a colonic segment, is a structural sign associated with various gastrointestinal disorders. In its hereditary, secondary form (e.g. in Hirschsprung’s disease), dilation occurs in an originally healthy colonic segment due to an anally located, aganglionic zone. In contrast, in chronic Chagas’ disease, the dilated segment itself displays pathohistological changes, and the earliest and most prominent being found was massive loss of myenteric neurons. This neuron loss was partial and selective, i.e. some neurons containing neuronal nitric oxide synthase and/or vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) were spared from neuron death. This disproportionate survival of inhibitory neurons, however, did not completely correlate with the calibre change along the surgically removed, megacolonic segments. A better correlation was observed as to potentially contractile muscle tissue elements and the interstitial cells of Cajal. Therefore, the decreased densities of α-smooth muscle actin- and c-kit-immunoreactive profiles were estimated along resected megacolonic segments. Their lowest values were observed in the megacolonic zones itself, whereas less pronounced decreases were found in the non-dilated, transitional zones (oral and anal to dilation). In contrast to the myenteric plexus, the submucosal plexus displayed only a moderate neuron loss. Neurons co-immunoreactive for VIP and calretinin survived disproportionately. As a consequence, these neurons may have contributed to maintain the epithelial barrier and allowed the chagasic patients to survive for decades, despite their severe disturbance of colonic motility. Due to its neuroprotective and neuroeffectory functions, VIP may play a key role in the development and duration of chagasic megacolon.

Enteroglial cells act as antigen-presenting cells in chagasic megacolon

Chagas disease is one of the most serious parasitic diseases of Latin America, with a social and economic impact far outweighing the combined effects of other parasitic diseases such as malaria, leishmaniasis, and schistosomiasis. In the chronic phase of this disease, the destruction of enteric nervous system components leads to megacolon development. Besides neurons, the enteric nervous system is constituted by enteric glial cells, representing an extensive but relatively poorly described population within the gastrointestinal tract. Several lines of evidence suggest that enteric glial cells represent an equivalent of central nervous system astrocytes. Previous data suggest that enteric glia and neurons are active in the enteric nervous system during intestinal inflammatory and immune responses. To evaluate whether these cells act as antigen-presenting cells, we investigated the expression of molecules responsible for activation of T cells, such as HLA-DR complex class II and costimulatory molecules (CD80 and CD86), by neurons and enteric glial cells. Our results indicate that only enteric glial cells of chagasic patients with megacolon express HLA-DR complex class II and costimulatory molecules, and hence they present the attributes necessary to act as antigen-presenting cells.

Associated factors and prevalence of erectile dysfunction in hemodialysis patients

PURPOSE The proposal of this study was to determine the prevalence and the associated factors of erectile dysfunction (ED) among hemodialysis (HD) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a cross-sectional study based on data collected from HD male patients. Clinical, demographic and laboratory data of all patients were collected in three HD clinics from December 2010 to June 2011. Patients answered questions of erectile function domain from International Index of Erectile Function. Data were evaluated by descriptive analysis and by univariate (ULRA) and multivariate logistic regression analysis (MLRA). RESULTS Three hundred and five patients participated of the study. The prevalence of ED was 68.19%. ED was associated with diabetes (DM), benign prostatic hyperplasia, glomerulonephritis as cause of chronic renal failure (CRF), smoking habits, lower creatinine levels (ULRA), use of calcium channel blocker (MLRA), aging, lower education level, alcohol consumption, DM (as cause of CRF) and coronary insufficiency (ULRA and MLRA). CONCLUSIONS ED was highly prevalent in the HD men. It was independently associated with aging, current use of alcohol, long alcohol use (even for those who do not drink more), lower education level, diabetes as cause of CRF, coronary insufficiency and use of channel blockers calcium.

Congenital transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in central Brazil. A study of 1,211 individuals born to infected mothers

Transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi during pregnancy is estimated to occur in less than 20% of infected mothers; however, the etiopathogenesis is not completely understood. The Centre for Studies on Chagas Disease provides confirmation of T. cruzi infection for individuals living in central Brazil. In this retrospective hospital-based study, all requests for diagnosis of T. cruzi infection in individuals less than 21 years old from 1994-2014 were searched. We end with 1,211 individuals and their respective infected mothers. Congenital transmission of infection was confirmed in 24 individuals (2%) in central Brazil, an area where the main T. cruzi lineage circulating in humans is TcII. This low prevalence of congenital Chagas disease is discussed in relation to recent findings in the south region of Brazil, where TcV is the main lineage and congenital transmission has a higher prevalence (approximately 5%), similar to frequencies reported in Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia. This is the first report to show geographical differences in the rates of congenital transmission of T. cruzi and the relationship between the prevalence of congenital transmission and the type of Tc prevalent in each region.

Trypanosoma cruzi stocks isolated from acute Chagas disease patients lead to lethal murine infection

Ten Trypanosoma cruzi stocks recently isolated from patients in acute and chronic phases of Chagas disease were inoculated to susceptible (A/Sn) mice. The mice were inoculated with 10(4) trypomastigotes intraperitoneally and monitored for parasitaemia and mortality for up to 300 d. The results demonstrated that (i) T. cruzi stocks isolated from patients in the acute phase killed animals, while stocks from patients in the chronic phase did not; (ii) survival curves differed statistically among mice infected with lethal stocks, and (iii) parasite burden did not affect the mortality rate of mice.

Current epidemiological profile of Chagasic megaesophagus in Central Brazil

INTRODUCTION Chagasic megaesophagus (CM) is the most common digestive manifestation of Chagas disease in Brazil, and the State of Goiás is one of the most affected regions. In recent decades, the Hospital das Clínicas (HC)/Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG) has been a reference center for the study and treatment of CM. The objective of this study was to characterize the current epidemiological profile of patients with CM observed at the HC of the UFG from 1998 to 2010. METHODS In total, 939 patient records were analyzed, and age, gender, place of birth, serology, symptoms and radiological classification according to Rezende et al. were analyzed. RESULTS The median patient age was 55 years. Male patients were more (54%) prevalent than female patients. The prevalence of younger patients (less than 31 years of age) was 4.2%, but 82.1% of the younger patients were from State of Bahia. Patients older than 40 years were the majority (85.5%). The radiological groups were distributed as follows: Group I (35.9%), Group II (32.9%), Group III (17%) and Group IV (14.2%). CONCLUSIONS Compared with previous studies by the same group in 1975, 1994 and 1995, the number of younger patients decreased, and the frequency curve has shifted to older patients.

Predictive value of the Diverticular Inflammation and Complication Assessment (DICA) endoscopic classification on the outcome of diverticular disease of the colon: An international study

Background Diverticular Inflammation and Complication Assessment (DICA) endoscopic classification has been recently developed for patients suffering from diverticulosis and diverticular disease. Aims We assessed retrospectively the predictive value of DICA in patients for whom endoscopic data and clinical follow-up were available. Methods For each patient, we recorded: age, severity of DICA, presence of abdominal pain, C-reactive protein and faecal calprotectin test (if available) at the time of diagnosis; months of follow-up; therapy taken during the follow-up to maintain remission (if any); occurrence/recurrence of diverticulitis; need of surgery. Results We enrolled 1651 patients (793 M, 858 F, mean age 66.6 ± 11.1 years): 939 (56.9%) patients were classified as DICA 1, 501 (30.3%) patients as DICA 2 and 211 (12.8%) patients as DICA 3. The median follow-up was 24 (9–38) months. Acute diverticulitis (AD) occurred/recurred in 263 (15.9%) patients; surgery was necessary in 57 (21.7%) cases. DICA was the only factor significantly associated to the occurrence/recurrence of diverticulitis and surgery either at univariate (χ2 = 405.029; p < 0.0001) or multivariate analysis (hazard ratio = 4.319, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.639–5.126; p < 0.0001). Only in DICA 2 patients was therapy effective for prevention of AD occurrence/recurrence with a hazard ratio (95% CI) of 0.598 (0.391–0.914) (p = 0.006, log rank test). Mesalazine-based therapies reduced the risk of AD occurrence/recurrence and needs of surgery with a hazard ratio (95% CI) of 0.2103 (0.122–0.364) and 0.459 (0.258–0.818), respectively. Conclusions DICA classification is a valid parameter to predict the risk of diverticulitis occurrence/recurrence in patients suffering from diverticular disease of the colon.